Cura Te Ipsum
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: The Inseparables are asked to go to Savoy on request of their King to pick up his sister, the Duchess, and escort her and her son back to Paris. The others are all worried about Aramis, as he hasn't been back to the city ever since the massacre of Savoy, but nevertheless he refuses to remain at home while his closest friends risk their lives. Not a sequel to my other fictions.
1. Chapter 1

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter One

"Porthos, behind you!" Aramis cried out in fear after cutting down his own assailant as he noticed another trying to sneak up on his comrade when a large band of thieves charged the soldiers while guarding the tax collector and two Red Guards helping to transport the King's monthly taxes through the streets of Paris. "We musketeers shall not be struck down today, least of all the likes of you."

"If we don't get off the streets, we will be struck down," d'Artagnan responded, less confidently than the rest of his friends appeared to be.

Porthos smiled as he continued fighting once the man Aramis warned him of was knocked to the ground unconscious and no longer a threat, then answered coolly, "Not today. Don't be so quick to count us out just yet, d'Artagnan. We're wearing them down."

Athos replied, "If we weren't before we surely will now, now that Treville is about to join us with a charge behind him."

"See how quickly they flee," Aramis spoke again smugly as the thieves began to run away in retreat upon seeing more musketeers riding into the square to join their comrades in battle.

"We would have frightened them off just fine on our own," Porthos grumbled in response to Aramis' witty remark. "How did you know we were in trouble, Captain?"

Treville rode up to the four men that led the rest of the soldiers under his charge and answered, "The truth is, I didn't know you would run into trouble, but I suspected that you might, seeing as Louis has raised the taxes far higher than ever before and I knew how mad the people would be."

Athos replied coldly, "No doubt thanks to the Cardinal's influence."

"No doubt," Captain Treville responded in agreement. "I'm afraid I'm not just here to make sure that you four survived today. I have another task for you, which I fear will not be easy, especially for one of you."

"You know that we'll do whatever is asked of us, Captain," Athos stated as any good soldier would. "What is our mission?"

Treville turned to look at Aramis as he answered worryingly, "I need you four to travel to Savoy in order to escort the King's sister back here to visit with her brother. She insists she comes now, despite the Duke's refusal to escort her himself or send his own men along, seeing as he was not pleased with how their previous visit here to Paris went. It is Louis' wish for the four of you to be the ones that travel with her. However Aramis, if you wish for me to send another musketeer along, the King needn't know if you would like to take some time…"

Aramis kept his eyes on their captain, despite his friends' worried glances, as he interrupted despondently, "The King has ordered the four of us to go, Captain. I told you that day that we musketeers follow orders no matter where they may lead. If I must travel to Savoy, then I will go with my comrades. If you'll excuse me."

"This isn't right, Captain," Porthos finally spoke again angrily. "Aramis shouldn't be forced to travel through the very forest where his friends were slaughtered in their sleep, let alone once again face the very man responsible for the massacre that made our brother its lone survivor."

"I agree," the Captain replied sadly. "I did try to let him off. He refused."

Athos responded coldly, "Only because Aramis is as devoted as any musketeer, to you, to the three of us as well as the rest of the men, and to our King, Queen, and country. He feels he owes it to you to make up for his insolence when he believed you to have sold out your own men."

Captain Treville nodded and answered, "I wish he need not feel he must make it up to me. I tried to make it clear that I did not blame him at all for what went down with Marsac. It appears I failed. You best go after him. He's going to need you three to get him through this mission."

"We will look out for him," Athos replied as he, Porthos, and d'Artagnan headed after their friend, who had headed back in the direction of their barracks, no doubt to prepare for their long journey ahead of them.

"I expect nothing less," Treville said to himself, admiring the devotion and respect between the four strongest amongst all of his men.

At the Duke's palace in Savoy…

Gontard slowly approached the Duke, who was busy writing a letter within his study, but didn't say anything, as he could tell the Lord was in a foul mood due to a number of recent complaints from the poor people living within the city. Many of them had begun to grow ill and they blamed the illness on their poor living conditions, while the Duke, Duchess, and the rest within the royals' inner circle lived richly.

When the Duke still didn't speak, Gontard quietly cleared his throat to get his Lord's attention, though he knew the Duke knew he was there and finally, the Duke turned to his right hand, glaring as he asked coldly, "What are you waiting for? Since when have I ever made you wait for me to speak to you first upon coming to me with whatever information you're trying to tell me?"

Gontard nervously responded, "Never, My Lord. I'm sorry. It's just that your wife has received a letter back from Louis, saying that he is sending his four best musketeers here to Savoy to escort his sister back to Paris. They should be arriving here in two days time, or three, choose they choose to take the long road around."

"So, my wife is still insisting on going and went above my head in order to do so," the Duke answered angrily before suddenly throwing all that was lying on top of his desk onto the floor. "I told her now was a bad time to leave Savoy. And to have more musketeers come now, at a time like this..."

"Why is it that you wish for her to remain here?" Gontard asked in confusion. "I would think that now is an excellent time for her and your son to head to Paris to be with the King, especially seeing as the people here are only growing sicker and becoming more and more belligerent."

The Lord replied in frustration, "I told my wife that I did not have the time to escort her myself and that I need my men to remain here should the townspeople grow out of hand. Now these musketeers are coming here and you know how much I detest them. I still have the scar one of them forced upon me before I killed him. And I could see the look in the other musketeers' eyes when I visited Paris last. They know that I was responsible for having twenty of their men killed years ago."

The Duke's man nodded in understanding, then spoke again saying, "Maybe so, but you know that they will never go against their King and strike back against you. If they try, or if they try to be meddlesome in the affairs of our own people, we will put them in their place and you and your wife will convince Louis that we had no choice, but to have them arrested or even killed if it comes down to it for striking out against you."


	2. Chapter 2

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Two

The four musketeers rode along as Athos, d'Artagnan, and Porthos spoke quietly amongst themselves, while Aramis kept his eyes trained on the road ahead in silence. His comrades were worried about him, but they left him alone with his thoughts for the time being because they knew that he wasn't ready to share with them what it was going through his mind just yet.

They travelled until the sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon on the second day and it was then that the soldiers decided it was time to stop and rest for the night at an old, worn down inn several hours away from home, where nothing, but the inn and an even older stable to house all travelers' horses stood.

The innkeeper stood from where he was sitting as the musketeers entered after tying up their horses for the night, a large jug of whisky sitting on the table in front of him. The men could tell that it had been a long time since anyone's passed through this area and that he clearly wasn't up to helping anyone that night unless he was willing to sober up, which clearly would be a challenge. So, Porthos moved forward and swiftly knocked the man unconscious when he tried to raise a weapon to fire upon them. The drunkard wasn't any trouble at all.

Porthos spoke up smugly saying, "That was easy. It looks like we're having free drinks tonight."

As the larger man walked behind the bar where the whiskey and wine was kept, then began to hand out a few jugs to his friends, all of whom took some except for Aramis, d'Artagnan spoke up asking in confusion, "Why is this inn and area so deserted? I mean, it is along the road to Savoy, which is small, but a wealthy city."

"It's because it's not far from where the massacre took place," Aramis answered despondently.

"Everyone knows of the brutality that went on there and therefore try to avoid travelling through the woods at all costs," Athos continued for their friend when Aramis simply turned his head downward and walked away without another word spoken, up the stairs to find a room to sleep. "Now it's a graveyard. Most people choose to go around the long way, which takes at least another day and a half to get to Savoy. Unfortunately, that's not the kind of time we can afford to take on the way to the city, only on the way back home so that the duchess and her son will not have to travel through what's nothing more than a graveyard."

Porthos shook his head, then looked in the direction Aramis had disappeared from and responded, "Why couldn't the King ask Richelieu to send his men? He knows about the massacre as well as we do and he trusts the Cardinal more than he does us. Why should we be forced to travel here?"

Athos replied sadly, "Because these are our orders. We should all try to get some rest while we can. There won't be much starting tomorrow. The Duchess will wish for us to get her safely to Paris as soon as possible."

"The woman may be a spy for the King, but she also truly loves her husband, even though he is a murderer," Porthos stated curtly. "It's clear naivety runs in the royal family."

"Not to mention a simple lack of concern or compassion for all others, but themselves," d'Artagnan answered in agreement.

"I don't disagree with you, but we shouldn't be speaking badly of our King or his sister," Athos responded. "I'll take first watch, after I try to speak with Aramis."

With that said, Athos walked up the stairs after Aramis, followed by the other two as they found an unoccupied room to place their things and two beds to sleep. When Athos found their friend, he saw that Aramis had only dressed down to his under shirt, but was still wearing his pants, boots, and gun belt, his pistol resting within his hands while he simply stared ahead, as Athos has seen him only two other times, once after he had been forced to kill Marsac and the second time when he had first arrived back home from Savoy, wounded and lost.

Athos spoke first as he said out of concern, "You shouldn't have to be here with us. Why didn't you take our Captain up on his offer to choose another of the men for this mission?"

Without turning to look at him, Aramis replied softly, "If I can't stand to be here, then I don't deserve to be a musketeer. You three are my closest friends. If you can complete this mission, then so must I. I'll be all right. Besides, I should have come back to Savoy long before now in order to pay my respects to our men who lost their lives. I just couldn't…"

"You needn't blame yourself for our men's deaths, or for Marsac's, Aramis," Athos answered sadly. "You aren't responsible for your friend's actions and especially not for the Duke of Savoy's."

"You may not blame me, but if I had tried harder to convince Marsac to stay, then what he did wouldn't have happened and I wouldn't have had to kill him," Aramis responded angrily as he finally turned to look at his brother. "I may not have been able to save any of our men's lives, but I am the lone survivor from that night's vicious attack and I shouldn't have been! I was no more important than any of those other men. So because I survived, I need to do whatever I can to make it up to them. That is why I'm here, not at home, a coward. I owe it to them, to do my duty as a musketeer as well as to protect you three for as long as we are brothers in arms, as I always will. Please, just leave. I wish to be left alone."

Aramis turned away again and upon doing so, Athos reached out and gently squeezed his friend's shoulder, then replied, "You may not believe so now, Aramis, but you survived because you have far more to give. Porthos and I believe it, as does d'Artagnan and all of the rest of our men, including Captain Treville. If I ever had a prayer to give, it would be that you somehow learn to see that you deserve to be alive and to be one of us."

When he finished speaking, Athos left the room as Aramis requested, then walked down the hall, only to stand in the doorway of the room that Porthos and d'Artagnan had chosen to sleep in and when he turned to look at them, seeing clearly that they had overheard most of their conversation, Porthos smiled sadly as he said, "The charm and wit he shows day in and day out is nothing more than a mask he wears to hide his pain. I should have seen through it long before tonight."

"You have, Porthos, as we all have," Athos answered. "But it's that mask that keeps him going. By noon tomorrow, we will reach where the massacre occurred. Aramis wishes to stop in order to pay his respects at long last. It won't be easy for him, which is why he will need us to remain strong throughout this mission, so try to sleep."

"Did you two know Aramis long before Savoy?" d'Artagnan asked curiously once Athos left and walked back downstairs to the main room.

Porthos thought back as he responded, "Both Athos and I knew him a little more than a year before the massacre. I came to like and respect Aramis very quickly, due to that charm and wit of his, as well as his lust for life, which we both have in common. Athos was a little slower to come to like either of us, as I'm sure you can imagine, but in time we all came together and became inseparable, a force to be reckoned with. When we heard that all of those men sent on that training exercise had all been slaughtered, Athos and I grew angry and felt a thirst for revenge, the likes of which we had never felt before, though we did not know then, who it was responsible for the attack on our brothers. We were incredibly relieved when we found Aramis alive, though just barely as he had nearly froze to death on top of the raging fever that had taken hold of his body. We brought him back from death's door."

D'Artagnan looked at the larger man and placed a hand down on his shoulder as he replied, "I'm honored that the three of you have taken me under your wing and brought me in as one of your own. You're lucky I didn't kill any of you back when we first met."


	3. Chapter 3

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Three

The four musketeers left the inn early the next morning, hoping to make it into the city before noon. If they didn't remain at the sight of the massacre for too long, as they suspected they wouldn't, they would arrive in Savoy sooner than expected. The closer they came upon the eerie clearing in the woods, now the home of those twenty dead soldiers, Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan couldn't help, but notice that Aramis subconsciously slowed his horse more and more.

"I'll only be a moment," Aramis spoke wearily as he dismounted from his horse, then slowly walked past his comrades, who came to a stop at the clearing's opening, each of whom dismounted their own horses as well, and waited patiently for their brother.

"I don't think I've ever felt so cold in my life," d'Artagnan stated quietly as he crossed his arms after he began to feel the chill in the air. "I thought I understood Aramis' fear to come back here before, but now…"

Athos interrupted grimly, "If you remain with us long enough, d'Artagnan, you will come to feel this coldness far more than you know. It's one of the more difficult prices we pay for our service."

In regards to Aramis, D'Artagnan watched one of the men he had come to admire so quickly as he spoke again asking, "Is there nothing more we can do for him?"

"Unfortunately, no," Porthos replied sadly as he watched Aramis kneel down before a number of the graves before him, then lower his head to rest it upon his hands and knee in a silent prayer. "We're here to support him. Right now, that all he wants from us. He'll let us know if he needs anymore from us."

"Why weren't the two of you sent on the training exercise as well?" d'Artagnan asked curiously.

Athos looked over at Porthos, then back at the young Gascon and answered, "Because Porthos and I had other business to attend to at the time, a private mission for the Cardinal, one of which we discovered to be no longer necessary as we arrived too late, at no fault of our own. When we arrived back at the palace, that was when Treville informed us that we were being sent out to survey the scene, bury our dead, and to bring back a complete list of all the men who lost their lives."

Porthos grumbled, "We should have been there. If we were, then Aramis wouldn't have been left alone and we could have stopped Marsac from running and becoming the traitor that he was, even if Aramis refuses to see it that way."

"Or, you both could have been killed as well," d'Artagnan retorted. "And we never would have met."

"Nor would you have likely become a musketeer," Athos responded cockily. "If it weren't for the circumstances that we came together, you would have remained a farm hand in Gascony and you wouldn't have had the privilege of knowing us."

Finally, Aramis rose back to his feet, gently lifted the gold cross that hung around his neck, kissed it, and offered a brief final prayer as he held the cross to his lips, then whispered softly, "Forgive me my brothers, and be at peace. One day the man responsible for your deaths will be brought to justice and you will be avenged. I swear it."

When Aramis walked back over to his friends once he finished, Athos spoke up as he asked his long time friend, "How are you feeling? Are you ready to move on?"

"I'm fine," Aramis replied shortly. "And yes, I'm ready to enter into the city and confront the bastard responsible for our friends' deaths once again."

"Should we be worried that he may try to strike out against the Duke?" d'Artagnan asked quietly as Aramis walked past them once again to remount is horse.

Porthos shook his head as he answered, "No, Aramis is stronger than that and he understands the consequences if he were to strike out against him. I can't make any promises in regards to myself though. If the man so much as looks at us funny, I'll punch him where he stands. At least Athos got his own licks in. If only it were me who had the opportunity to make him look like a fool in front of the court."

Athos smiled as he responded, "That was a pleasure."

Meanwhile…

"There you are," the Duke stated angrily when he finally found his wife as she walked down one of their palaces large staircases carrying a small bag, while two of their servants carried down the rest of her things she and her handmaidens had packed for herself and their son for their trip to Paris. "You never should have gone behind my back by writing your brother to send his musketeers to come and fetch you."

"Surely you learned long before this morning that I had and yet you're just now coming to confront me," the Duchess replied calmly, though it was clear she was upset with her husband. "I'm leaving because I can't remain here while our people are ill and you refuse to do anything to help them."

The Duke became irritated and answered, "I had business to attend to until this morning and the people in town are only ill because they don't take proper care of themselves. I have provided them with plenty of food to live on and have given plenty of charity. You know how much I hate your brother's musketeers, ever since they tried to have me killed those years ago, and yet you invite them into my own palace."

His wife responded, "Nevertheless, I refuse to have our son around to listen and to watch the people as they grow more and more desperate and cruel in order to help themselves. I warned you and you didn't hear me. Now I am doing what I have to in order to get us both somewhere where we can be happier and remain without fear of catching whatever illness is spreading among them. When all this passes, we will return. I'll look forward to your letter requesting us to return home."

"Fine, but I suggest you both leave as soon as those musketeers arrive," he said in frustration. "I do not want them here any longer than what is absolutely necessary."

"If that is what you want," she stated, undisturbed by her husband's foul temperament. "I'll go see to our son now, to make sure he is finishing getting ready for the long road ahead of us. I hope that you do help our people, my husband. I wouldn't want to come home to find that this situation has only come to be worse. I can forgive you for almost everything because I love you, but not if I you allow this suffering to continue on without any effort to help them."


	4. Chapter 4

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Four

Athos, d'Artagnan, Porthos, and Aramis finally arrived in the city making good time. As they made their way through the crowds of people, now begging for food and money, pleading for the soldiers to help them, the musketeers slowed their horses, but didn't stop until they were clear of their outstretched hands.

Athos spoke first, quietly so that only his comrades could hear him, saying, "Something bad is happening here. So many people are sick."

Porthos reached out and picked up a piece of fruit from a vendor's cart nearby and looked at it more closely, seeing spots and bruises, then responded, "It's no wonder, this food is rotten."

"And the bread looks moldy and stale," d'Artagnan added. "These people are starving."

"The Duke doesn't seem to care that this has been going on," Porthos continued as he looked around at the men, women, and children either staring at them sadly or crying out for any kind of help the musketeers could offer them. "I suggest we go have a talk with the man. To find out what's going on here."

Aramis dismounted once again as he stared out at the crowds, then replied worryingly, "I don't think these people are just ill from being hungry. I'm going to remain here, to try to help them if I can."

Athos stepped down as well as he tried to speak in objection, "Aramis…"

"Don't worry," the sharpshooter interrupted as he looked back at his friends. "I won't be far. Go and talk with the Duke and Duchess. Find out what's really going on."

"We shouldn't just leave him alone with them," Porthos stated in frustration as Athos remounted his horse and together the three remaining musketeers began to ride toward the palace.

D'Artagnan answered, "He'll be fine. He can help them and it will probably help to take his mind off of his troubles. This could be good for him. Not that these people being sick is good, but…"

Athos watched closely as several soldiers and guards walked past them through the streets, then he responded, "We know what you meant. We need to find the Duke before we find the Duchess and her son and prepare to travel back home."

When the three musketeers finally reached the palace, the Duke appeared before them as they walked inside the main hall despite the servants' objections to their disturbance, as did Gontard. It was clear that the man they had come to see was angry as they barged into the room, but he pushed aside his anger as he began to speak.

"My wife, the Duchess, and our son should be down momentarily," he said coolly as he crossed his arms. "This is an inopportune time for your visit, so I suggest you three leave as soon as possible, so that I can get back to my business."

"We will escort the Duchess and your son as planned, but we wish to speak with you about your people living downtown amongst the squalor and filth you call food that has been distributed amongst them," Athos replied just as coldly. "Why is it that you're having nothing, but scraps, rotten fruit, and stale loaves of bread delivered to them? Your people are sick and begging and some are even beginning to create disturbances. Is that what all those soldiers and guards have been summoned for, to keep the peace?"

The Duke finally was able to get a word in as he answered, "What goes on here in Savoy is none of your concern. I am doing what I can for my people, which is why I am far too busy to stand here and discuss my affairs with musketeers. I suggest you leave as soon as they come down."

Porthos was about to continue, until he was cut off by a nudge from d'Artagnan as the Duchess and their young son walked into the room, fully dressed in clothes fit for their journey ahead and stood beside all their belongs that they were taking to Paris with them, then Porthos leaned over so that only the Gascon could hear him as he grumbled, "Something is definitely not right around here and my gut tells me the Duke knows far more than he's saying."

"He may not be fully responsible, but he's certainly not doing much to help his people," d'Artagnan responded.

"My Lady," Athos spoke as he bowed down before their King's sister in respect, then looked toward his men in order to motion for them to follow suit. "My comrades and I are happy to be able to escort you and your son to Paris. If your carriage is ready…"

The woman before the musketeers smiled as she replied, "Thank you, Athos, isn't it?"

The soldiers' leader nodded, then motioned toward his friends and continued, "And these are my companions, Porthos and d'Artagnan. There is another of us as well, but he remained down in the city to try to tend to those that have fallen ill. He's no physician, but he understands medicines more than most and knows how to tend to the wounded."

"I suggest you go and fetch him, then leave the city immediately," the Duke answered curtly and then walked off, while Gontard remained behind to oversee the musketeers' departure.

"You heard our Lord," the Duke's right hand continued for his master. "Are you and your son ready, My Lady? Your carriage is awaiting just outside."

She smiled and responded, "Thank you, Gontard. Make sure that my husband gets some rest before he wears himself out completely. And do not let him forget about what I spoke to him about earlier. Is that understood?"

Gontard replied, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Has the Duke been under more pressure than usual, My Lady?" d'Artagnan asked as they all made their way out of the palace toward the carriage parked outside, currently surrounded by a couple of their servants to help them pack the carriage with the woman's and son's bags.

"Yes, he has been conducting a lot of business and trying to figure out what to do about our people," the Duchess answered as she allowed Athos up into the carriage, while Porthos lifted the boy and placed him inside beside his mother. "He may seem cold and unfeeling, but…"

All of a sudden, screams and shouting sounded from the distance, which the musketeers, the Duchess, and her son could all tell were coming from the city. Before they could explain, Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan all swiftly remounted their horses and rode as fast as they could back downtown to try to find out what was happening, as well as to find Aramis as quickly as they could, hoping that he was all right. It didn't matter to them that they left the royals behind to wait.

When the soldiers arrived, they found that the guards and the Duke's men were busy putting up barriers to surround the filthiest and most dangerous area of the city, much like the area where the Court of Miracles stood in downtown Paris, successfully quarantining the sickly people now becoming trapped within.

The musketeers raced forward and Porthos jumped down from his horse and roughly grabbed a hold of one of the Duke's soldiers, shoving him hard up against one of the walls as he shouted angrily, "What are you doing? Why are you forcing these people within these blockades?"

The soldier fought to shove the musketeer away from him as he responded, "We're only following our Lord's orders. If you don't like it, take it up with him!"

"We need to find Aramis," Athos said quickly as he dismounted, followed by d'Artagnan, and together the three men raced around the barriers in search of their friend, hoping that they would be able to find him and get him out before he becomes trapped with the rest of the people. "Aramis? Aramis!"

"Athos!" their missing comrade suddenly called out from inside a section that was already blocked off, though they could see him through the cracks of the blockade. "Porthos, d'Artagnan! Thank God, listen. These people aren't just ill from their squalor, the rotten food, or starvation. It's something much worse, quite possibly the plague and if I'm right…"

Athos cut him off replying fearfully, "The plague? We need to get you out of here. Hold on."

Aramis tried to shout out to his friends as they began to fight off a few of the soldiers while trying to break down the wooden planks and logs put up between them and their sharpshooter saying, "Stop! Athos! Porthos! Gentlemen, please! Someone has to stay here to help these people or most of them are going to die."

"It doesn't have to be you," Porthos stated in frustration.

"There's no one else," Aramis answered sadly. "I'm already trapped in here and right now, it's where I am needed most. The rest of you need to escort the Duchess back to Paris where she and her son can remain safe, where whatever this is cannot touch them. It appears to be spreading and I don't know if this quarantine will keep it insides these barriers."

D'Artagnan tried to object, but Athos stopped him as he interrupted, "We'll be sure to get the Duchess and her son to safety, but we're not going to leave you here alone, let alone go all the way back to Paris with you being stuck here amidst a possible plague. What do you need?"

The sharpshooter smiled wearily as he said, "Until I know what's causing this sickness or what it is, I won't know for sure. But I could use my bag and any other medicines, bandages, and rags, you can get your hands on. I'm going to do whatever I can to try to save these people and if you plan on staying, which I am grateful for, I need you to talk with the Duke again. There must be something he's hiding."


	5. Chapter 5

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Five

"What are we doing, Athos?" Porthos asked forcefully as the three musketeers regretfully walked away from their friend still trapped within the barriers, rushing through the soldiers, guards, and the rest of the onlookers standing throughout the streets as they observed their own friends and neighbors being herded and penned up like cattle. "Where are we going? I'm not abandoning him."

"Neither am I," Athos answered curtly as he continued onward, without looking back at his friends as they followed after their leader. "Aramis asked us to find the kid who picked up his medical bag when the soldiers rushed him and caused him to drop it. And I think I might know who our thief is and where he disappeared to."

D'Artagnan looked at him in confusion as he asked, "How do you know this? It's not like we saw this kid."

Athos stopped short upon coming upon an alleyway, then continued on until they reached the dead end as he replied, "When we first came into this city, I noticed this kid pickpocketing a coin purse from off of some bystander, then slip down this vacant alley. I saw him again when I realized he was following us as we continued on toward the palace. However, he stopped following us as soon as Aramis split off from us to help the sick. I didn't think much of it at the time, but…"

"You're thinking the kid you saw and the kid Aramis saw take his bag are one in the same," d'Artagnan finished for him. "Sounds right, but why down here? There's nothing at the end of this alley."

"That's not true," Athos responded as he moved to stand in front of a partially open sewer grate in the far wall in front of them.

Porthos glared at their leader as he stated in unbelief, "You can't be series. How are we supposed to find this kid now? We can't exactly follow after him now, can we?"

The young Gascon quickly answered, "I can. I'm small enough to fit. I'm just not totally crazy about going into the sewers alone, not knowing my way around and without knowing what I'll be running into."

"We don't exactly have a choice, d'Artagnan," Athos replied out of worry for the young man he had come to take under his wing. "Aramis needs his supplies. I trust you."

"And so do I," Porthos responded in agreement. "Be careful down there and find that bag, then find Aramis and get it back to him as soon as possible."

Athos nodded, then said quickly, "You'll find us at the palace, trying to confront the Duke again, and trying to explain to the Duchess and her son why we can't escort them back to Paris just yet."

Porthos scoffed, "This ought to be fun."

Down inside the sewer…

The newest musketeer struggled as he made his way down into the vast space hidden beneath the streets of Savoy as the tunnels were extremely dark, tight, damp and foul smelling, almost making it impossible for him to breathe. Finally he arrived into a large room within the sewer and stopped in order to collect himself before continuing on, not only to shake off the shivers that ran through his veins, but also to check on his one pistol and blades he carried on him, just to make sure that they were all still on him and intact.

"I will kill Athos if he's wrong about this thief coming down here," d'Artagnan whispered to himself as he cautiously continued on, listening for any sounds that might lead him to find anyone living down within the sewers.

Thankfully, it didn't take long before he was able to find what he was looking for, not because of voices echoing among the walls, but because of a dim light shining from the distance. As he slowly approached the open room, the young musketeer discovered the lights were from lit torches hanging on the walls and that at least a dozen men, women, and children were living within. Finding and taking back Aramis' bag was not going to be easy as he could see that these thieves were thieves because they were clearly outcasts among those living above.

"Gypsies," d'Artagnan groaned quietly to himself once again. "That's just great."

Before d'Artagnan could make a move, someone from across the room suddenly cried out, "We've got an intruder!"

Another shouted, "Capture him! We need to find out who he is and how he found his way down here!"

"Listen, I've just come to talk!" the musketeer quickly stated as he drew his sword and stood tall to fight off the three men that moved in to attack him, but only fought to hold them back, hoping not to have to hurt anyone. "Please, I'm only looking for something that was stolen from one of my companions. It's a matter of life and death."

"That's funny, so isn't what you're here for a matter of life and death for us as well," a young man no older than the musketeer answered as he walked forward, a smug smile worn upon his face, while d'Artagnan quickly became surrounded. "He's one of the musketeers I was telling you all about."

D'Artagnan replied, "And you're the kid who stole my friend's bag. I need it back. The people above are very sick, as you all must know by now, and are trapped inside barricades put up by your Duke's men. Without the medical supplies within that bag, all of them could die, including my friend, who was only there in the first place in order to try to help them."

A man appearing to be the thieves' leader moved out into the open as he responded, "The Duke is not who we choose to allow lead us, which is the reason why we are down here."

"That, and because the Duke tried to have us killed just because we're gypsies," a woman called out angrily. "We've been forced to become thieves."

"And the people above are not the only ones that are sick," the leader continued. "We need the medicine from your friend's bag as much as they do. Is he a physician?"

D'Artagnan kept his eyes focused on the men surrounding him as he answered, "How about you order your friends here to stand down and then we can talk?"

The man motioned for the soldier's attack to stand down, the d'Artagnan slowly lowered his sword and finally slid it back into its scabbard, then spoke again saying, "My name is d'Artagnan and no, my friend is not a physician. He's a soldier, the same as me and our other companions, but he knows how to treat the sick and the wounded nonetheless. If you help me, he can help you too, but he needs his supplies if he's going to be able to figure out what this sickness is spreading around."

"I'm afraid that's not possible," the man replied coldly. "When my son overheard your companion talk about remaining behind to try to help those people, he acted impulsively when he stole the bag, but you have only the Duke for that, the very man you've sworn to protect along with your King's sister."

"I may be sworn to the crown and to protect the Duke and Duchess, but believe me when I say that I do not trust him, nor feel any respect for him," the musketeer responded sincerely.

The leader's son called out, "He's a liar!"

His father grinned as he looked over at his son and stated, "I think you're right. I think my son is right, d'Artagnan, is it? I suggest you do something to prove to me that you are speaking the truth, or you're as good as dead, and so is your trapped friend fighting to save those worthless men and women above, who are just as guilty as those royals who forced us down here. What are you willing to do to save your life, d'Artagnan?"


	6. Chapter 6

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Six

Meanwhile…

Athos and Porthos arrived once again at the palace, finding that the Duchess and her son were waiting for the musketeers within the gardens. As they rode in and approached her, the woman stood from where she was sitting on a bench in front of the fountain, looking very unhappy and impatient, while her son continued running around the fountain in play.

She spoke first in frustration before the soldiers could apologize saying, "I asked you to come here to take care of me and my son while we travel to Paris, not worry about the troubles going on down in a city that isn't your own."

The two men bowed before her after dismounting from their horses, then Athos replied, "Forgive us, My Lady. You're right, you did ask us to come here, but I'm afraid that the troubles here in Savoy do concern us now, making it impossible for us to escort you back to visit your brother at this time."

"What are you talking about?" the Duchess asked angrily. "You have your orders from the King, my brother, himself. I wish for me and my son to leave here, now."

"Yes, what is the delay?" the Duke asked just as impatiently as he and Gontard walked over to them upon realizing that his wife and son had yet to leave as planned. "I told you all to leave immediately."

Porthos glared at the man as he responded, "With all due respect, My Lord, we won't leave while one of our brothers is trapped within the barricades you ordered your men to put up to keep those that are ill from the rest of the population. How could you do that to your own people when they are all pleading for your help? You're leaving them all to die, instead of doing anything to save them!"

Athos cut in before his friend could say something he would regret, as he continued, "As we told you before, our friend is trying to help your people, trying to figure out what the illness is that is spreading among them. Now his life is at stake and we cannot leave him behind. Your people need someone to help them and Aramis will never agree to leave them, even if you were to allow us to collect him. I suggest you remain here where you will all be safe, but if you wish for us to bring you someplace else close by, for better comfort, then we can do so."

The Duke spoke again answering, "My people are none of your concern. You will follow your orders and leave."

"We will not abandon Aramis!" Athos replied firmly as he moved to stand directly in front of the Duke, no longer caring if he was crossing the line. "Forgive of us for our insolence, My Lord, but our duty to each other is just as important to us as is our duty to our King, Queen, and country. If you wish to write a letter to King Louis stating your problem, feel free, but a letter will take days to reach him and I'm betting you won't, that is if you do not want him or Queen Anne to learn of your lack of concern for your people."

"I respect your courage to stand up to us in order to protect your friend, gentlemen," the Duchess responded quickly before her husband could begin to shout over the musketeers' threat. "I wish for you to take my son and me to our cottage, down by the lake, only a few miles from here. We will be more comfortable there and that way you can remain close by if you insist on doing so. My husband and Gontard will help you try to find out what this sickness is and where it came from."

Porthos looked over at his friend as Athos nodded, then motioned for Porthos to help the Duchess and her son into the carriage, while he continued speaking with the Duke saying quietly, "What is it that you're hiding, My Lord? Why do you wish for us to leave Savoy so quickly?"

The Duke answered coldly, "I don't like your insinuation, just as I despise you musketeers. I don't have to answer to any of you. You may be staying here on request of my wife, but do not dare accuse me of…"

"Accuse you of what, poisoning your own people?" Athos asked as he glared at the man that had nearly killed Aramis once already and quite possibly may do so again.

"I am not behind this!" the Duke shouted. "All I did was order my men to put up the barricades in order to prevent the rest of Savoy from falling ill and dying as well. Surely you would do the same. It's possible that this illness could be the plague and if that's true, there will be nothing your friend will be able to do to help them. Most of the people inside are as good as dead."

Porthos joined Athos again as Athos replied, "Possibly, but if there is a way to save them, our brother will find it and if we discover that you are responsible for their deaths, especially his, then we will bring you down, no matter what may happen to us."

Porthos agreed as he responded, "Your wife being our King's sister will not protect you forever."

Inside the barricades…

Aramis was sitting over a young boy lying deathly ill in his bed, checking over his vitals and observing the jaundiced condition of his skin. Without saying a word to those standing or sitting around him while he worked, the musketeer picked up a wet rag from within a water bucket lying nearby on the ground, then slowly and tenderly began to wipe the boy's chest and brow in order to begin to try to bring down the fever, fearing that it won't do him much good unless he could figure out what was causing the illness in the first place.

"What is happening to my son?" a woman asked fearfully as she sat down on the boy's bedside across from the musketeer. "Are you a physician, Monsieur?"

"No Ma'am, I'm not, but I know a little of medicines and I know how to treat the wounded," Aramis answered sadly. "I promise you, I will do all I can to help your boy, as well as the rest of those here that are sick."

A man from behind him spoke replying angrily, "What makes you think we want your help, musketeer? It's because of you that we're all stuck in here, herded up like pigs and cattle and forced to die like dogs."

Another man cried out, "What do you mean, we're here because of him? He's stuck inside these barriers, just like we are."

"I don't actually mean it was him, but it was because of the Duke's soldiers and guards under the Duke's orders and this man is a soldier sworn to protect and obey the man's orders," the man responded coldly. "He's no better than they are."

"I may be sworn to protect the Duke, but I am also sworn to protect the people anywhere my orders take me, which is exactly what I will do here, in any way that I can," Aramis answered genuinely. "I may have been forced inside these barricades like the rest of you, but I am choosing to remain despite my brothers' pleas for me to escape with them. Please, allow me to help you!"


	7. Chapter 7

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Seven

Down in the sewers…

D'Artagnan looked around at each of the men and women surrounding him, then responded to their threat saying, "Seeing as I am currently down here, trapped between a dozen of you under the threat of death and with no sword in my hand, I cannot exactly do anything to prove to you that what I say is true. I can only give you my word that I hold no respect for the Duke. Most people trust the word of a musketeer."

The gypsy leader answered, "Maybe so, but we do not."

"My son may not, but I do," an old woman spoke up suddenly as she came into the room from another of the tunnels, then began to move in between her people to make her way toward the King's soldier. "You will have to forgive them for their poor judgment in the way they have treated you, young man. I hope you do not see it as the way all gypsies act when a stranger is introduced to them."

"Not at all," d'Artagnan replied, surprised by the mysterious women who has intervened on his behalf. "Who are you?"

She smiled as she pulled d'Artagnan out from between the rest of the people, then responded, "My name is Tatianna and I used to be in charge of our people, until my son stepped in and decided it was time for someone younger and wiser to lead them instead. Most agreed and so I stepped down, but I still have some pull around here and I say that you, young man, are free to go, with the bag you have bravely come down here alone to get back."

The leader spoke out in protest saying, "You can't just let him go, especially with the medicines…."  
>"Do any of you know what these medicines inside this bag are used for?" his mother asked loudly. "Do any of you have experience in treating the sick and afflicted? We will take care of each other as we have always done. Right now, these medicines are needed above to treat those that are worse off than even we are."<p>

"But those people do not care about us, so why should we care about them?" another of the gypsies asked angrily.

D'Artagnan cut in as he said, "I am certain that my friend will do all he can to help you as well, just as I mentioned before. If he can treat the sick above and we can convince the Duke to order the barricades to be torn down once the threat is no longer a threat, then I can lead my comrade down here. He is far more honorable than I, I promise you."

The old woman smiled and answered, "Then leave here, with my blessing and the blessing of our people, all of our people. I look forward to seeing you again, d'Artagnan."

Outside of the city…

"It was good that you stepped in before I made the mistake of knocking the Duke into the ground like I wanted to," Porthos said quietly while he and Athos rode their horses alongside the Duchess' carriage as they made their way down to the royals' cottage. "Like I really wanted to."

"You weren't alone," Athos replied as he looked over at the carriage in order to make sure that they were speaking in private. "I wanted to kill the man where he stood, just as I wanted to do when I fought him upon learning what he had done to our men, especially when I saw the scar Aramis left him with, confirming that he was indeed the bastard that killed them all. However, we must keep our heads, for the Duchess' sake. She loves him, remember?"

Porthos scoffed, "I don't understand why. He is a cruel and evil man."

Athos nodded, but then continued, "We know that, but you have to remember, the Duke only slaughtered our men because he was led to believe that they were there to try to kill him."

"That coward killed them all in their sleep, Athos!" Porthos shouted, far more loudly than he meant to. "He nearly killed Aramis!"

"Quiet!" their leader responded quickly as he looked over toward the carriage once again. "Do you want all of Savoy to hear you?"

Porthos shook his head and blew out his breath in order to calm down, then answered again, "Aramis was left alone to die among the bodies of twenty men and now, he is once again among hundreds of people who may all die and it's quite possible that this man is responsible for this too. Does it bother you at all that this will haunt him just as horribly as the massacre did?"

Athos looked at his friend coldly and then replied, "You know me better than that. Of course I know that this will haunt him, but this isn't about Aramis right now, Porthos. It's about everyone here, everyone who will suffer unless we can help Aramis solve this in any way we can."

"You're right," Porthos responded in agreement. "Once we get the Duchess to where she wants to be, what then? Do you have any idea how we can solve this?"

"Not yet," Athos answered despondently. "For now, we'll head back into town and search for d'Artagnan. Hopefully he was successful in retrieving Aramis' bag and getting back out of the sewers unharmed."

Porthos replied, "Don't worry, the boy will be fine. Although we might owe him a new set of clothes after this. The ones he has on now will be filthy and not even Madam Bonacieux will be able to get those stains out."

Athos smiled and stated, "Nor that smell."

By the time the two musketeers finished their conversation, they were nearly at the cottage. Inside the carriage, the young boy was sleeping upon his mother's lap, while the Duchess remained silent, looking to the handmaiden sitting across from them as though she was simply resting. Little did the two musketeers realize that the Duchess was straining in order to be able to hear the soldiers as they spoke and hear them she did. She couldn't hear everything they spoke of, but she heard enough, especially the moment when they spoke of the lone survivor of her husband's massacre he led outside of the city five years ago.


	8. Chapter 8

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Eight

D'Artagnan cautiously made his way back through the streets after he finally made it out of the sewers when the old woman's grandson, the very thief who put the newest musketeer through the trouble of having to go down into the tunnels in the first place, showed him a better way out than having to squeeze through the same way he entered. The musketeer couldn't believe his luck. The truth was, he thought for sure he was a dead man and he would have been, if not for the kindness shown to him by the mysterious woman.

When d'Artagnan came upon the same area where he and the rest of his comrades had encountered Aramis within the barricades earlier, he looked at the two soldiers standing nearby to keep watch over the barriers and when he was sure they were paying no attention to him, the musketeer bent down to look in between the cracks, then quietly called out to someone inside asking, "Excuse me, monsieur, have you seen the musketeer inside here anywhere?"

The man turned toward the voice coming from the other side of the barrier, then waved his hands in the air and walked away without a word. D'Artagnan was about to call out to another of the bystanders nearby, until a young girl moved into his line of sight and shyly walked over to stand in front of him.

"You're looking for Monsieur Aramis?" she asked softly.

"Yes Mademoiselle, I am," d'Artagnan answered quickly. "Can you please, go and get him for me? I have something of his that will help him, something that he needs very much."

The girl looked at the soldier sadly as she responded, "He is busy trying to help my brother, monsieur. My brother is very sick."

The Gascon nodded and then replied, "I am very sorry about your brother, but if you get my friend for me, what I have for him may be able to help him help all of you, please."

"All right," she answered, then very quickly ran off while d'Artagnan stood straight and observed the guards, who had both now become suspicious as to why he was standing at the blockade with a large, black bag in his hands, though they had yet to approach him.

"D'Artagnan?" Aramis called out quietly, recapturing the younger man's attention toward the boards and planks nailed together between the two friends. "It's good to see a friendly face around here. So many people are ill and scared… Were you able to find our young thief?"

The young Gascon saw the sadness and fear upon his brother's face, but didn't say any more about the people as he smiled and showed his comrade his bag, then responded, "Believe me, getting this back wasn't exactly easy. I ran into a little trouble of my own, a large group of gypsies living down inside the sewers."

Aramis looked at him and replied, "That explains your new look and horrendous smell. Sadly, I've heard of many gypsies being forced out of their homes and cities, becoming outcasts among their own people. I've come across a few myself, including one who I came to care for a great deal. He died long ago. Gypsies are no less than you or I."

"Some of them are sick as well," d'Artagnan finally said, worryingly because he didn't wish to burden Aramis any more than he already was. "They let me leave the sewers so long as I return, with you so that you can try to treat them as well. I'm sor…"

"There's no need for an apology, my friend," Aramis answered before the young man could finish. "Although, I don't know how I'll be able to leave here, seeing as I'm as trapped as the rest of these poor people."

D'Artagnan responded, "Don't worry about that, the same thief who took your bag knows every way in and out of the sewers throughout the city, including a way inside the blockades. I would have used the passage myself, but then I would have ended up inside like you and possibly trapped as well."

Aramis nodded in understanding as he continued, "The others need you more than I. You made the right decision. You say the boy will be watching, then lead me down to his people when I'm ready?"

"Yes, just be careful, Aramis," the Gascon replied, fearful for his friend. "And take care of yourself."

"I always do," the team's sharpshooter answered smugly. "I'll take my bag now."

D'Artagnan looked over at the guards again and when they finally looked away, no longer caring about why the young man was standing outside of the barricades, the youngest of the four soldiers set his friend's bag down and suddenly broke off one of the planks holding the wall in place to create a large enough hole to pass the bag through to Aramis, then swiftly ran off before the two guards could reach him to arrest him. The sharpshooter grabbed hold of his bag, then quickly ran away from the hole as well, leaving the guards bewildered as they began to repair the hole.

The young Gascon ran fast and as far away from the barricades as he could, then finally stopped in order to catch his breath. It bothered him to just leave like that, with his friend's life still at stake, but he knew that he needed to find the rest of his companions so that could figure things out from the outside.

D'Artagnan began to ride his horse, which he got back from a stable hand whom his friends had left it for him with before they took off to question the Duke again, back toward the palace in hope of catching up with them. However, Athos and Porthos met up with him on the road, having finished dropping the Duchess and her son off, and together they slowly continued riding back toward the city while they talked.

Athos spoke first as he and Porthos looked over the condition of their companion, saying, "You made it, although a little worse for wear. Did you find Aramis' bag and get it back to him alright?"

The Gascon nodded as he went on to explain all that he explained to Aramis, then turned to them and asked, "What about you? Did you learn anything more from the Duke?"

"Unfortunately no," Porthos responded in frustration.

"Although he is definitely hiding something," Athos replied. "I mentioned the possibility of his people having been poisoned and I caught a glimpse of fear, not just anger. I don't think he is involved in what's going on here, but I think he may know who is."

D'Artagnan was surprised at this as he asked, "So, you think that there's a good chance that this sickness isn't the plague after all, but something that Aramis will be able to find a cure for?"

Athos stated fearfully, "I don't really know. One can only hope."


	9. Chapter 9

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Nine

Throughout the night, barely anyone within Savoy slept as the troubles within the city affected them all in different ways. Aramis tended to the sick ever since he arrived with no more than a moment's rest, while his companions camped on a hilltop overlooking the town. The three spent most of the night talking, mostly because they were afraid, not only for their friend's welfare, but also for the welfare of all those who live within Savoy, whose lives will be irrevocably changed, just as the massacre changed the lives of the musketeers.

The Duke of Savoy paced back and forth within his palace out of worry himself, though not for the people under his care and protection, but for his own wellbeing. Should so many of his people die from this sickness spreading like wildfire, word would get back to his wife's brother in Paris and the childish and petty King would no doubt find him unfit to be the Duke any longer. It wasn't because he caused the sickness, but because the Duke understand he was to blame for it, as he suspected that someone he knew caused this mess to begin with.

When morning arose, a letter arrived at the palace for the Duke from a messenger sent by his wife, a letter which she spent most of the night trying to write, wording it carefully so that there wouldn't be any room for error or misinterpretation. When he finished reading the letter to himself, the Duke crumpled the letter in his hand and began to seethe in anger, his eyes turning fierce.

"What was in the letter that has you so angry, My Lord?" Gontard asked finally as he reached out in attempt to take the letter so that he'd be able to read it himself, though the Duke pulled back before he could take it. "Are your wife and son alright?"

"They're perfectly fine," the Duke replied coldly. "It appears that the Cardinal and King Louis kept something of grave importance from me back when I had those vile musketeers killed in their sleep five years ago when they came to try to assassinate me."

Gontard looked at him in confusion as he stated, "I don't understand. What could they have possibly hidden? All of the men sent here were killed and their attempt was thwarted."

The Duke answered angrily, "Apparently not all of the men. It appears that one musketeer survived my attack, the very musketeer who wounded me that evening and left me with the scar upon my back."

The Duke's right hand finally grabbed hold of the letter which read, _Dearest husband, I fear I have grave news that I found to be of great importance, which I know you will want to hear. Upon mine and our son's journey to our cottage, I overheard the musketeers speak and though I could not make out all of what they spoke of, I did hear them talk of one of their companions, the one who remained in the city to take care of our people. I fear this man was one of the musketeers involved in your assassination attempt within the woods five years ago. It appears that not all of them were killed as you were led to believe. One of them also mentioned that this man was the very man who was very nearly successful in killing you when he gave you your scar. I tell you this, not to worry you, but because I still care for you. Let this be my way of proving my love and loyalty to you._

"I don't believe it," Gontard responded in surprise. "If this is true, what reason would the Cardinal have for keeping such a secret and why not have the massacre's lone survivor executed for his crime? Those men were traitors to their King and country."

"None of that really matters much to me at this moment," the Duke replied and then took a few moments to think. "I have been living these five years under the impression that every one of them died, including the one that nearly succeeded. If he is indeed alive and once again here in Savoy, then I want to meet him, face to face."

Gontard quickly objected answering, "But My Lord, right now this man is currently working to save our people from this sickness. You yourself said that their deaths would bring nothing, but trouble. If he can save them…"

The Duke nodded as he responded, "Perhaps you're right, Gontard. But when he's though, whether he saves my people or not, I want him brought here to me immediately. I wish to meet my would be assassin, just so that I will be able to look him in the eyes as I stab him through his heart with his own sword."

Meanwhile…

D'Artagnan sat upon the hill as he finished eating the food he had prepared for himself and his two companions while he looked out over the city, his back to the others, who were currently busy cleaning their pistols and muskets, in case a fight should break out. The boy appeared distracted as he attempted to clean his own weapons, so Athos offered to do so for him, mainly in hope that it would give him something to do to help him keep his mind off of the trouble that lie ahead. It didn't work as well as the older man hoped it would, not that he really expected it to.

"What seems to be troubling you now, other than the obvious that is?" Porthos asked as he stood and moved to stand beside the Gascon, then finally took a seat again at his right.

"Nothing," he replied shortly after he turned his head to look at the larger man. "I mean, nothing besides the obvious. I was just thinking."

Athos spoke up in his usual collected manner from behind them as he asked, "Are we going to have to keep beating around the bush or are you actually going to explain?"

Both men looked back at Athos, then d'Artagnan continued, "I am just trying to think of a reason why someone would want to poison all of Savoy, that is if that's what happened."

"You're right, it doesn't appear to make much sense," Athos answered. "I've been trying to think of a reason as well and so far, I have nothing."

"Maybe someone simply has it out for the Duke and figures the best way to punish him would be to have as many of his people killed as possible," Porthos responded as he pulled out his flask from underneath his coat and took a large swig. "It's no secret that the man would most likely lose his power and position as Duke should Louis find him to be unfit."

D'Artagnan shook his head in confusion as he stated, "That's a stretch."

Athos spoke up again saying, "It's also possible that we're blowing all of this out of proportion and that this sickness could be just the plague as the Duke believes it to be. As musketeers, we've seen plenty of treachery all done out of revenge and the quest for power and riches. There may be no crime here at all."

"I'm not so sure what I prefer it to be more, the plague or poison?" Porthos replied fearfully. "I mean, if it's the plague, there will be nothing to cure and there's good chance that Aramis will become sick as well, but if it's poison…"

"If it's poison, then our killer will most likely try to kill Aramis once he or she discovers our friend is doing whatever he can to stop his plans by saving the people," Athos continued for the larger man. "Either way, Aramis is in terrible danger, which is why we must figure out how to help him as soon as possible."

D'Artagnan looked back at their leader again and then asked, "What do you think we should do now?"

Athos answered, "I think it's time Porthos and I meet these gypsies you mentioned living beneath Savoy's streets. It's evident that they hate the Duke, so the question that remains is, do they know anything about this that might help lead us to the truth, or is it possible that they might be angry enough at the Duke and the people living above their sewers, who cast them out of the city, that they might be behind everything?"

"I suppose it is possible, but I explained to them that we have a friend trying to save everyone and that we're trying to find out the truth," d'Artagnan stated in confusion. "Why would they let me go? Besides, a few of them are sick as well and they want me to bring Aramis back down with me as soon as he can get away."

"You said it yourself," Athos responded as he finally stood and walked over to join his friends. "You were only set free after the old woman intervened and talked them into setting you free. It's possible she doesn't know what some of the others among them might have done."

Porthos quickly spoke up again worryingly, "I didn't even consider that the gypsies might be a threat. And you told them about Aramis. What if they decide to make sure that no one can stop them? They could try to have someone slip inside the barricades in order to kill Aramis. We have to warn him."

Athos walked over to his horse and remounted, then said, "Don't worry, Porthos. Aramis knows how to take care of himself. He'll be alright."


	10. Chapter 10

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Ten

Late into the morning, Aramis was bending over an unconscious woman showing early symptoms of this illness. Just as everyone else believed, he also thought at first that it was the plague spreading throughout these people, but eventually he was able to rule the plague out, as the musketeer discovered the symptoms of the illness that killed millions during the days of the Dark Ages, did not match what was killing the people here in Savoy. So far, no one had yet to die, but Aramis knew that death was only around the corner, for some.

It wasn't long after Aramis started looking over the latest victim, when a young man about his own age walked up from behind him carrying a tray within his hands, as he spoke up saying softly, "It's a pity that so many are becoming ill. Do you believe this is the plague?"

Without turning to look at him, Aramis quickly responded curtly, "Don't go around mentioning that word to anyone."

"Why not?" the man asked in confusion as he set the tray down on a table nearby. "It's not like I'm the only one thinking it. Everyone's afraid that the plague has come back."

"Perhaps so, but it isn't the plague," Aramis corrected the man finally. "The plague was known to have killed its victims much sooner than whatever this illness has done so far. A few have mentioned that their loved ones have been ill for days. In the Dark Ages, men, women, and children would come down with the disease in the morning, then would be dead before the sun sets in the same evening. The plague was far more rapid. This disease is taking far too long, among a few other symptoms, which leads me to believe that this illness is definitely not a disease, but a poison. Someone is killing these people, as I suspected."

The man now standing beside the musketeer replied, "Then, we can explain that to the soldiers standing guard outside of the barricades so that the rest of us don't need to risk becoming exposed."

Aramis shook his head as he continued wiping down the woman's body as the fever within her slowly started to take hold, then he answered, "The Duke's men will never believe the word of a musketeer, nor will the people safe outside of these barriers. Don't worry, my brothers and I will find whoever has done this, just as I will do whatever I can to try to save as many of us as I can."

"You don't believe you'll be able to save everyone?" the man asked calmly.

Aramis ignored him, but his face said all the man needed to know, so he nodded and then said again, "I came because I brought you some food. It isn't much, but some broth and stale bread. I noticed that you haven't eaten anything since you arrived here yesterday afternoon and you look exhausted. You should probably try to rest too if you can."

The musketeer still didn't stop what he was doing to turn around as he responded, "Thank you, though I am not very hungry. The people here need what little food you have more than I. And though I am tired, it isn't a lack of sleep that is the cause for my weariness. I'll rest when I am no longer needed."

"I see," the man replied as he reached down to pick up the tray again. "Well, let me know if you change your mind. I'll obviously be around. You're probably right not to eat my broth. As you discovered as soon as you walked into town, most of our food is either rotten or stale. And I never was a very good cook."

Within the sewers…

"I don't understand it Maude, why would you let that musketeer go free?" the old woman's son asked angrily once she woke up, having gone to bed the night before, before he could question her about her reasoning to let d'Artagnan go.

She looked at her son sadly as she answered, "Because it was the right thing to do. You used to know that once, Bernard."

The leader of the outcasts scoffed, then responded, "I used to, but times have changed and anyone working to protect the Duke are our enemies. That includes the musketeers. That boy is a threat to us."

"You're wrong, I'm not a threat to you, nor are my friends, unless you are the cause for the illness that's killing the men, women, and children above," d'Artagnan answered as he, Athos, and Porthos walked back into the tunnels, entering in through the same way he was shown out.

"Musketeers!" Bernard shouted in order to alert the rest of the gypsies to trouble. "Stop them!"

However, as they suddenly surrounded the soldiers, all of them wielding swords or pistols to defend themselves or attack, Maude swiftly called out, "You will not harm them! You must allow them to explain themselves!"

Her son tried to object saying, "I am our leader now, Maude, not you. It will be best for you to learn that. That boy brought his friends with him this time, to destroy us."

"You're wrong!" Athos finally cut in. "We're only here to talk. We promise, we mean you no harm."

"And what is it that you could possibly what from us?" another woman cried out. "Soldiers only kill, they don't care about what's right or fair."

Porthos responded, "And it seems neither do you."

D'Artagnan slowly lowered his sword, just as he had done before, then Athos and Porthos followed suit, trusting their friend knew what he was doing, and the young Gascon continued, "You see, we're not here to hurt here. We just wish to talk to you. We were hoping that you might know who would want to harm all of those people up there and who might have the ability to create such a poison that could cause such a horrendous disease."

"So, they were all poisoned," another man asked as the gypsies finally began to lower their own weapons as well.

"Actually, we still don't know that, but if it does turn out to be poison, we were hoping that you might know if anyone was capable of it," Athos said coldly, still not satisfied that he and his friends were out of danger. "It's obvious that you all still have eyes on the world above."

Bernard sneered as he replied, "Who else other than the Duke himself? He doesn't care about his people."

Porthos shook his head as he answered, "No, the Duke is a cold and evil man, but he would never kill his own people, at least not in a way such as this. If word were to get back to King Louis, then he would have the Duke arrested and the Duke… well he would no longer be the Duke."

"Our friend is right," Athos added, "The Duke would never risk losing everything no matter how much he despises his people. So the question remains, do any of you know who might risk something like this?"

Maude finally spoke again as she responded, "There are a lot of people in Savoy that hate the Duke and would love to make it appears as though he slaughtered his own people."

Porthos asked suspiciously, "Does that not include any of you?"

"Porthos please," d'Artagnan quickly replied.

"No, no, your friend is right," Maude answered calmly. "Many of our people would love to see the Duke brought down, but we do not have the resources to be able to create such a poison, enough to kill so many and we wouldn't want to. Not everyone above are guilty of having us tossed away. We have friends above. And as I told your young friend before, there are a few of us who are ill as well. We would never harm any of our own. Perhaps you should speak to another who might have reason to see Savoy crumble and fall. Someone, who has grown to become restless and perhaps ill herself, though ill of a different nature; the Duchess."


	11. Chapter 11

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Eleven

Back in Paris…

Captain Treville was sitting inside his office when the Cardinal walked into the room, then spoke up stating, "Surely you must be getting worried, Captain. Your men should have been back here with the King's sister hours ago. Luckily for them, Louis has been distracted thanks to an unexpected visit from Queen Anne's dearest friend from Austria. Our young King certainly does seem quite smitten."

Treville glared at the Cardinal as he answered, "Yes, so it appears. You wouldn't happen to be planning anything, would you, Cardinal?"

"Of course not," Richelieu replied, knowing full well that the Captain was referring to his scheme to have Queen Anne assassinated.

"As for my men not being back with the Duchess and her son yet, there must be a logical explanation," Treville responded, sounding more worried than he meant to let on, as he was more worried for one of his musketeers, than he was for the rest. "I am certain that they travelled the longer route, seeing as the main road would have led them through the woods where the massacre occurred."

The Cardinal stated coldly, "Your musketeers know that the Duchess demanded that she and her son arrive here to visit her brother as soon as possible. So, why would they take a route that takes a day and a half longer, despite a few of their brothers in arms being killed there?"

The captain stood as he answered angrily, "A few of my men weren't slaughtered, Armand, twenty men were. Then, the deserter came back to Paris only to be killed as well, leaving only a single survivor. If they chose to avoid the main road, then it is because they were trying to protect Aramis from the memories and I commend them for doing so. I am certain they will be here before too long. As you said, our King has become a bit distracted so he wouldn't have noticed the time it is taking for them to arrive."

"Yes, perhaps you are right," Cardinal Richelieu replied smugly as he walked toward the door to prepare to leave. "Though perhaps you ought to have ordered Aramis to remain in Paris, while another musketeer take his place."

"The decision was his to make and he chose to remain with his friends, as any good musketeer would," Treville responded. "Good afternoon, Your Eminence."

Once the Cardinal left his office, Captain Treville angrily shoved all of his parchments and inkwell onto the floor, not because he was angry with his men for being later than expected, but because he feared that his men might have run into danger and the Cardinal's lack of compassion angered him, more so than usual.

It wasn't long before a knock sounded at the door and when the Captain told them to enter, a young boy stepped inside and walked over to the musketeer to hand him a letter, then quickly ran out again upon receiving a coin for his service. Treville opened the parchment and read its contents, a letter from Athos which read, _Unforeseen events have made it difficult for us to come home right away. People of Savoy have fallen ill and forced into quarantine by the Duke, Aramis along with them. He believes it possible that they have all been poisoned, though there is a possibility of the sickness being the plague. He is doing all he can to help them, as well as to discover what has caused this unknown illness. Meanwhile the others and I have remained behind in order to see to it that he is protected. The Duchess and the Duke are safe and are understanding of our delay. We will return to Paris, with the Duchess and their son, as soon as possible. –Athos._

When he finished reading, the Captain walked out from his office in order to go and speak with the King, only he ended up running unexpectedly into the Queen instead, and he quickly stated, "Forgive me, Your Highness. I did not mean to startle you, not to mention run into you. Are you alright?"

Anne smiled as she answered kindly, "Yes, I am fine. And the fault was mine. I was not looking where I was going. Are you alright? You appear to be in a hurry."

"I was simply on my way to inform your husband that my men will be a bit delayed in coming home with his sister and her son due to unforeseen circumstances," Captain Treville replied worryingly, though he did not mean to appear so in front of the Queen.

"What has happened?" she asked fearfully. "Is my husband's sister alright? And your men?"

Not knowing of the Queen's love and affair with one of his men, the Captain didn't know to soften the blow as he responded, "Aramis is currently trapped within a quarantine along with a large number of Savoy's people within the city. Apparently an illness has spread among them and the Duke has ordered the quarantine to prevent it from spreading any wider. Aramis will do all he can to heal them if he can. Once they solve this, and the quarantine is lifted, my men will return home, with the Duchess and her son."

Anne's fear was apparent as she asked, "Do your musketeers believe the illness will subside?"

"It is possible that the people have been poisoned, but even if not, I have known Aramis to be smarter than any physician," Treville answered truthfully. "I am certain they will all return alive and well."

"I do hope you are right," she replied softly. "If you'll excuse me, I must go and lie down. I am very tired. My child keeps me awake most nights, whether it is because the baby's kicking inside my belly, or my worry for his or her wellbeing, I am not certain. You shall find Louis in the throne room. He will want to hear this news as well. Thank you, Captain. And please inform me should you hear more from your men."

The Captain nodded, then bowed as she walked past, leaving him alone once again. He walked to the main hall and found the King inside, just as Anne had said. Upon doing so, he noticed that the Cardinal had spoken true in regards to Louis becoming distracted by the beautiful woman sitting beside him as the two of them laughed and shared stories. It was obvious that he also seemed to fancy her, and worried that now as his wife was with child, the King might feel the need to find intimacy with another.


	12. Chapter 12

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Twelve

"What are you talking about?" d'Artagnan asked in concern. "Why would you think that the Duchess would create all this? What has she to gain from killing so many of her own people?"

"It's no secret that the Duchess has no love for Savoy," Maude replied truthfully. "She makes it apparent any time she and the Duke come into the city for business. She is cruel and unsympathetic toward not only her servants, but also toward anyone she crosses paths with."

Athos appeared skeptic as he responded, "Most people we come across are cruel and unsympathetic. This doesn't mean that the Duchess would plan the mass murder of an entire city."

Porthos nodded in agreement, then added, "The Cardinal is the vilest man I know and not even he would plot to kill everyone in Paris."

"To what end?" Athos asked.

"You asked us who we thought capable of causing this," Bernard answered coldly. "You can choose to believe us or not, but I suggest you leave and never come back down here if you wish to remain alive. We have spared your lives so far out of courtesy to our past leader, but it won't last, I can assure you."

D'Artagnan spoke again saying, "We understand, and thank you."

As they walked away, back through the tunnel from which they entered, Porthos stated in frustration, "Well that certainly got us nowhere. Coming down here was a waste of time."  
>"I don't think so," d'Artagnan replied oddly.<p>

"What are you talking about?" Porthos asked the young Gascon in confusion. "You don't actually buy what they were saying, do you?"

D'Artagnan shook his head as he responded, "Not necessarily, but I cannot help, but feel that the woman only cares for herself and for Louis and her husband. After all, she had no problem with allowing twenty musketeers to be slaughtered in order to keep the secret that she is a spy."

Porthos shrugged and stated, "The lad has a point. The Cardinal may have come up with the plan the King decided to put into action, but she clearly had no objections."

"I understand what you're both saying, but it is no proof that the Duchess is capable of mass murder," Athos answered curtly. "Besides, we're all acting as though we know that the people have been poisoned. Until we hear otherwise… We need to come up with another course of action, while we keep our eyes on everyone. If they were poisoned and if it was the Duchess, she couldn't have acted alone. There's someone else involved."

"You're not settling my nerves any," Porthos grumbled. "What if our culprit has chosen to remain among the people he's poisoned, for kicks? Aramis is in far more danger than we ever realized."

Later in the afternoon…

Aramis was once again leaning over the young boy he first looked over when he arrived. Sadly, his condition only continued to worsen and the musketeer's administrations were no longer working, making him fear the boy would become the first of a great deal of casualties, despite his best efforts.

The boy's mother, who was sitting at the end of her son's bed while she kept her hand upon his leg, spoke up in frustration to Aramis saying, "You promised us you would help my boy. You promised us all that you would help us, but he's only getting worse. They're all getting worse!"

Aramis knew there was nothing he could say to ease the woman's pain, but he replied sadly, "I swore to you that I would do all I can for your son. As I have been trying to do for everyone who have fallen ill. However, I am no physician. If I knew what was causing this…"

"If we knew what was causing this, then we wouldn't need you," another man spoke cruelly. "Our loved ones are dying! Help them!"

"Peter?" the boy's little sister cried softly as she slowly moved in between her mother and brother and reached up to touch his face, feeling coldness, despite the fever coursing through his stricken body. "Peter! No, Peter please! Peter!"

Aramis quickly leaned over the young boy to check his vitals and when he found no pulse and no breath from his nose and mouth, the musketeer slowly pulled away and looked between the boy's parents, shaking his head sadly to indicate that their son was gone. Both the little girl and the mother laid over the boy as they wept openly, while the father cried in silence as Aramis stood and backed away so they could grieve. It was then that from a distance, more wailing sounded, which Aramis knew meant that another had died, only moments after the child.

Aramis spoke again finally, stating barely above a whisper, "I am very sorry. I… I don't…"

The father suddenly lashed out at the musketeer as he grabbed Aramis roughly by the collar of his under shirt and shoved him roughly up against the wall of the hovel behind him, while he shouted, "You killed my son! You've killed us all! I should kill you!"

"Please… I can only imagine… what you're feeling, but there is still… work to be done," Aramis pleaded, not for his own sake, but for the sake of those still looking to him for the only help to be found. "I am sorry that I could not save your son, I truly am, but the rest of you are still in danger."

"Go on then," the man responded coldly as he shoved the musketeer back once again even harder than the first time, then pulled him away from the wall and shoved him down to the ground as he finally released him, then punched him hard against his cheek. "Pretend to try to save whoever's still breathing, but don't think for a moment that this is over. When the others see that you have failed them too, I am certain that you will get what you've got coming to you."

When darkness fell again on the second night of remaining trapped within the barricades, Aramis was still working against time and despite all of his efforts, four more were dead and several more were in critical condition. Unfortunately, he was still no closer to figuring out the cause of the illness.

In the early hours of the morning, Aramis stepped away from the dozens of men, women, and children having fallen ill and when he was finally alone, the musketeer collapsed to the ground and began to weep silently to himself as guilt plagued him for failing to save these people, just as he had failed to save his brothers in arms during the massacre five years ago, and Marsac.

Despite the assurances from his brothers that he was not to blame for their deaths, or their pleas for him to forgive himself for being the only survivor, letting go wasn't something he could do then. And now, this circumstance was no different. Now more than ever, Aramis wished that he had been struck down in the snow covered forest along with the rest of his men.

The moment only lasted for a few minutes, but the rest was sorely needed as sleep had been lost to him since the moment he learned he and his comrades would be travelling to Savoy once again, not that they had had much more sleep than him, in any. When the minutes passed, Aramis stood again and slowly made his way back among the people to continue on, despite the objections from those that no longer wanted his help. He had failed the few who were already dead, but Aramis wasn't going to quit until there was nothing more he could do.

Unbeknownst by the musketeer, a man had been watching Aramis from within the shadows that kept him hidden from sight ever since he arrived and began to try to treat the people he had worked hard to make ill. When he saw Aramis break down, the man smiled and walked away to find the bag the musketeer carried with him, then began to search through his things when he found it.

When the poisoner saw the spool of thread inside the bag, which he had seen Aramis use to sew up a small wound on one of his victims earlier, he pulled out a small vile from within his coat pocket, stretched out a long strand of the thread, then carefully, but quickly began to dip the strand into the liquid within the vile and when he finished, he rolled the strand tightly around the spool again before placing it back into the bag. Finally, the man pulled a knife concealed within his boot, then sliced it across his cheek in order to create a large gash deep enough to need stitching.

When he saw the musketeer heading back toward the sick, the man quickly put the knife away again and called out to him in pain, pleading saying, "Please, help me. I need your help. I was attacked."

Aramis moved to help the man sit upon one of the cots now empty, due to the person lying there before having died earlier that night, then asked softly, "Who did this to you? And why did they attack you?"

"I don't know," the man answered coolly as he stared at the musketeer in front of him as he moved to pick up his bag, then sat down beside him and started to thread the needle he would use to stitch the wound, placing the thread in his mouth in order to wet it enough to get it through the needle's eye. "I was only trying to do my part to help the sick and someone ran up to me and attacked me, then kept on running. It was like he has gone crazy."

"This visit to Savoy just keeps on getting better," Aramis grumbled, then began to stitch the gash. "If you're willing, I could use your help to find the man that did this to you. We need to make sure that he can't harm anyone else, or himself."


	13. Chapter 13

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Thirteen

In between stitches, Aramis looked at the face of the man who had come to him for help and finally spoke up to him again saying, "You're the one who has been going around with food and water for everyone. I wanted to thank you, not just for myself, but for helping me to help them."

The man smiled at the musketeer as he responded, "Someone has to feed them and it just so happens that I have little cooking skill. Everyone else is too busy taking care of their own loved ones. I don't have anyone."

"I am sorry to hear that," Aramis answered sincerely as he finished tying off the end of the thread once the stitches were completed, then quickly tore the remaining thread off and placed the spool back inside his bag.

"And I appreciate your sympathy," the man replied as he reached out to shake the healer's hand. "My name is Charles Elias. You can call me Charlie. And you are?"

When Aramis reached out to shake the man's hand, he responded wearily, "I'm Aramis, one of the King's loyal musketeers. That's why I'm here. I was on business, but unfortunately, all this, got in the way."

Charles watched the musketeer since he began to work on him, then asked again, "Are you sure I can't get you something to eat? You're looking exhausted. At least go and get yourself some rest."

"I appreciate your concern, but I assure you, I'm fine," Aramis answered softly as he looked away, then stood as he prepared to head back toward the sick. "These people aren't resting, except for those who are already dead. More people will die if I can't solve this."

"I thought I heard you mention that you weren't a physician," the man stated curiously.

Aramis replied, "I'm not, but as you can see, the Duke hasn't sent his many physicians to come to help them, so I have to and as long as there is something I can do to try to help them… That doesn't matter now. Thank you again, Charlie. Please take care of yourself as well. You will let me know if you see the man who attacked you?"

Charlie nodded and responded, "Yes, of course."

As Aramis walked off, the man smiled and watched as the musketeer continued helping those he poisoned, no matter the direness of the situation. Finally, Charles Elias walked off and when he was certain he was alone, he knocked on one of the planks used as part of the barrier, then one of the guards spoke from the other side.

"I was beginning to wonder when you were going to get in touch," the guard stated. "I can't believe you actually pulled this off."

"I said that I would," Charlie answered in frustration. "I need to get out of here. I need to talk to my proprietor."

After a few moments, a few of the boards and the posts barring the man's exit gave way and Charlie stepped outside the barricade as the man who helped set him free spoke up saying, "Exactly how many people did you manage to poison?"

Before walking away, Elias looked back at the man and replied, "Less than I would have if it wasn't for the healing musketeer you and your men managed to trap inside along with everyone else. He doesn't know what the poison is, or that I'm the one who created what's killing these people, but I'm certain that it will only be a matter of time before he figures it out. He's smart and not willing to give up. However, I'm hoping, he'll become too sick himself or even die before he can."

Meanwhile…

"Exactly where are we heading now?" d'Artagnan asked as he and his comrades finally made their way back up to the surface. "Now that we've learned of a few new suspects, one of them being the Duchess."

"If the Duchess is responsible, which I can't believe she is, she would never admit it to us," Athos stated, not having heard d'Artagnan's question.

Porthos asked, "What makes you so certain she can't be responsible for having her own people killed? You thought the same about Captain Treville, not that I'm saying that our Captain knew that those men would be killed, but Marsac was right about him being involved. I say the Duchess is as much of a suspect as anyone else. We can't simply ignore the accusation just because we can't wrap our heads around the idea of someone being a killer."

Athos turned to look at his friend as he quickly retorted, "Even if someone were to ever accuse Aramis of being a killer, or me, or d'Artagnan?"

"Well, those kind of accusations we can ignore," Porthos responded quickly and then smiled, as did Athos and the young Gascon.

"Exactly," Athos answered smugly and then became serious once again. "However, you were right before. We shouldn't simply dismiss the possibility that the Duchess may be guilty. After all, we have no problem with believing that her husband could be our killer."

D'Artagnan nodded and replied, "I agree. So, my question stands. Where are we heading now?"

Athos was about to say something until he seemed distracted again when he saw a man walk by the alley they were about to exit, causing Porthos to call out to him again, asking, "Athos? What is with you right now?"

"I've seen that man," Athos responded quietly as they started following behind the man Athos suddenly became suspicious of, causing the others to be confused. "I saw him earlier when we were last speaking with Aramis, but he was inside the barricades. I didn't think much of it at the time, but he seemed to be paying close attention to our conversation."

"If so, then what is he doing outside of the barricades now?" Porthos asked again, finally understanding what their leader was getting at. "How did he get out and where is he going?"

D'Artagnan replied, "Perhaps we should ask him."

Without looking back at his comrades, Athos answered crossly, "I intend to. Porthos, cut him off."

"With pleasure," he replied as he swiftly disappeared down another alley, while the other two musketeers continued to follow after the suspicious stranger, now starting to pick up speed upon noticing that he was being followed.

"He knows we're here," d'Artagnan stated when they all began to run until the man was suddenly struck down to the ground as Porthos came out ahead of him and punched him square in the jaw to slow him down. "Nice work, Porthos."

The man looked up at them angrily as he rubbed his hand along his now soar face and asked, "What is the cause for this assault? I've never seen any you before, so I couldn't have possibly done anything to make you want to hurt me."

Porthos lifted him up off the ground by the back of his shirt, then Athos responded, "You're right, but usually when someone we suspect of wrongdoing starts to run, that means they have something to hide and I'm guessing that you're no different. You know who we are, as I noticed you watching us very closely yesterday when we spoke to our comrade who is still trapped within the barricade, which you should be in as well. So tell me, why are you now out here?"

"I couldn't stand being trapped inside any longer," the stranger answered nervously. "I found a way to escape and since your friend inside said that he no longer believed we were contagious…"

"So it isn't the plague then?" Porthos asked quickly.

The man shook his head as he replied, "No, he doesn't believe so. He's pretty certain that someone poisoned everyone."

D'Artagnan spoke up saying, "That's a relief."

"You're right, and thankfully, I'm one of the lucky ones, but I wasn't willing to risk it, so I found a way to break free, even if that makes me a coward," the musketeer's suspect responded coldly. "Your friend tried pleading with the guards to let everyone free, but they won't believe that we aren't contagious."

"You're lying about something," Athos answered, reading the man very carefully. "I'm very good at reading people and everything tells me that you're not completely innocent. If fact, I'm willing to bet our friend Porthos behind you, who loves a wager, that you're not innocent at all."

The stranger replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Porthos grabbed him roughly as he spun the man around to face him, then grumbled, "Tell us the truth. Who are you? And why are you really out here instead of inside with the rest of your people?"

"It's clear that you already know why," Charlie answered cruelly. "I can't obviously lie to you, so it's true. I'm the one who created the poison. The very poison now slowly killing your friend."


	14. Chapter 14

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Fourteen

"What do you mean?" Porthos shouted angrily as he roughly grabbed hold of the man by his shirt and shoved him back hard, pinning his body down against the cold ground using his own weight. "What have you done to our friend? Answer me!"

"Porthos, take it easy," Athos said sternly when their larger friend began to tighten his grip as his anger grew when he began to smile smugly. "I suggest you tell us what we want to know, or I won't try to stop our friend here any longer."

The stranger continued to smile, but finally he spoke again as he answered, "You four really are protective of each other. That's good, because Aramis will need your help before he dies, a slow and agonizing death."

Porthos moved one of his hands to around the man's throat as he growled, "You must really want me to strangle you."

"Kill me and you will become a murderer, just like me," the man responded cruelly. "Do you really want to know what I've done?"

"Tell us," d'Artagnan replied curtly.

Elias smiled as he finally answered, "I poisoned my own people, because I knew how. It wasn't out of revenge or because they treated me like they treated the scum that live beneath these streets. I did it, because I wanted to. I am a monster and when your friend, Aramis came in and tried to help them, I had to make sure that he couldn't, so I poisoned him too."

Porthos punched him across his face and was about to again when Athos finally pulled him off of the man, at no easy task, then d'Artagnan spoke up saying, "I have a feeling that you're still not telling us everything. Someone hired you to do this for them. Tell us who."

"Go and find Aramis," Athos stated as he looked at Porthos sternly, giving his friend something to do other than beating their killer to death. "Break down the barriers if you have to. We'll deal with the consequences later."

"It was my choice," Charlie responded smugly after Porthos walked off, as he wiped away the blood that began to leak from his lip from being punched. "No one had to ask me to create this poison. I wanted to and seeing these people suffer from my creation, was beautiful."

Athos glared at the man still lying on the ground despite him no longer being held there, then replied, "I agree with my comrade here. You're not telling us everything, but you don't have to. We will find the truth and Aramis will find a way to save these people. He is far better than you know."

Their killer smiled as he answered, "I don't doubt that, but I'm afraid that you will all be disappointed. There is no cure. I know my creation well and there is nothing that can counteract it. These people, your friend, they're all dead."

"And so are you," Athos said as he swiftly knocked the man unconscious with one final blow to his face, then glared at him angrily until d'Artagnan gently placed a hand down on his shoulder for comfort.

"He's wrong," the boy spoke quietly. "You'll see. Aramis is going to be alright."

No more words were spoken between them as the two soldiers tied their killer's arms and legs together upon getting rope from one of the bystanders now standing around them to watch the scene unfold before them, then gagged him and left him tied to a post inside a stable where he would remain until they came back for him to escort him to the palace, before the Duke.

When they entered the quarantined area of the city, it wasn't long before they found Porthos, still inside the now broken down barricades as he was fighting with several of the Duke's men that surrounded him, trying to arrest him. The other two musketeers quickly joined with their friend to defend him and finally the guards backed off.

Athos glared at the guards as he shouted, "There is no longer a need for these barriers, as our friend here has been trying to explain to you. Your people have been poisoned, they're not dying from the plague as the killer wanted you to believe."

One of the guards responded coldly, "You lie. Why should we believe anything you say, when all you want is to break in here and find your missing musketeer."

"What do you mean, missing?" d'Artagnan asked fearfully. "Has something happened to him?"

"Your friend was taken from here, unconscious," one of the people who were trapped within the barriers spoke. "We saw two men drag him out after breaking down a section of the barricades just as this musketeer did. Aramis tried to fight them off as he shouted at them to leave him here so he could help us, but they disappeared before we could stop them. From a distance, they looked like our Lord's personal guards.

Another of them said angrily, "If you want to find your friend, go and talk with the Duke. If you ask me, good riddance to him."

Porthos grumbled, "What do you mean? Aramis was doing everything he could to try to find a way to save you people and you say good riddance?"

"He failed to save my son!" the man shouted. "He may have tried, but he didn't. He gave us all nothing, but false hope and instead, my son is dead. I warned him that he was going to get what he's got coming to him. Lucky for us our vengeance will come from the Duke himself."

"We need to find him," Athos spoke up again before anymore could be said by anyone else. "Porthos, we need to go. We're going to go talk with the Duke."

Another of the Duke's soldiers called out to them as the musketeers began to walk away, "If our Lord did have your man arrested, then by trying to save him you three will be committing treason."

The musketeers ignored the guard as they continued on and once they stopped at the stable to gather their horses and their prisoner, d'Artagnan spoke again asking, "Why would the Duke have Aramis arrested? He knew he was here to help his people."

"Either the Duke is the one who asked our killer to poison his people, or the Duke has learned of who Aramis is," Athos replied coldly. "I've got the feeling that it's the latter, in which case, Porthos and I are the ones to blame. The only way he could have learned about Aramis would be because the Duchess overheard our conversation as we escorted her and her son to the cottage and she in turn told her husband."

"Which would mean that the Duchess is also the one responsible for having her own people killed," d'Artagnan responded worryingly.

Porthos turned and looked at the younger man and asked, "What makes you say that?"

Athos answered for him, "What better way to stop someone trying to stop what you started, than to reveal a truth about him that could give her husband cause to have him arrested and then murdered, or executed. We may be wrong, but I very much doubt it."

"We need to find him," Porthos responded curtly. "I don't care what we have to do to save Aramis, even if it means we kill the Duke to protect him."

"It would mean an execution would await us as well," Athos replied despondently. "But we can't allow Aramis to die unjustly. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Are the two of you with me?"

Porthos looked at their leader as he said confidently, "All for one…"

D'Artagnan finished, "And one for all."


	15. Chapter 15

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Fifteen

It didn't take long for the musketeers to arrive at the palace again with their prisoner in tow. When they walked inside, one of the Duke's many servants approached the men and suspiciously looked between them, recognizing them as musketeers, but seeing them as intruders just as everyone else living in Savoy.

"If you wish to speak with the Duke, I am afraid you gentlemen have missed him," the servant said in frustration. "And he will not be returning for some time."

"Where did he go?" Porthos asked angrily as he stepped closer to the man in a more threatening manner.

Athos grabbed his friend's shoulder to pull him back, then continued, "You'll have to forgive our comrade, but we've been told that another of our friend's has been taken by force from within the barricades not long ago. We need to speak with the Duke before he harms our friend. Where did he take him?"

The servant coldly replied, "I do not know anything, Monsieur. Our Lord only informed me and the rest of his servants that he and Gontard will not be returning until much later, most likely not until the morning."

"Then, if you can't help us, you will allow us to escort our prisoner down to the prison hold here beneath these floors where he will remain until we come back to escort him to Paris," Athos stated. "Surely you don't have a problem with this?"

"Not at all, Monsieur," the man answered as he turned and motioned for the three soldiers to follow him.

As they did so, d'Artagnan moved to walk at Athos' side and spoke up softly so that only he and Porthos could hear him as he said, "Something tells me that you have another motive for us escorting our killer down to the prison, rather than to hand him over to the Duke's guards."

Porthos smiled as he responded for their leader, "Most likely the Duke and Gontard have taken Aramis with them, to wherever they are, but it won't hurt to search the dungeon, just to make sure, as well as, as much of the palace as possible."

"I prefer we take a look around for ourselves, rather than trust anyone working for the Duke and Duchess," Athos added. "Wouldn't you?"

Back in Paris…

Morning came around again and though the sun has begun to rise, the palace was still quiet, as most everyone who lived within were still in bed asleep, including the men and women who served the King and Queen, as the days had grown colder due to winter bringing in bitter weather.

Anne however, lie awake within her bed as her mind wandered, keeping her from sleeping. She explained to Captain Treville that her lack of sleep was most likely from her child moving around within her, but the truth was, most of her restlessness came from worry and longing for the man she truly loved, and would never be able to have.

No longer being able to lie in her bed with these thoughts, the Queen rose, pulled on a robe over her nightgown, then left her room as she began to wander the palace halls, having no specific destination in mind as she walked. However, she ended up outside of hers and her husband's bedchambers, where she no longer slept as it was easier for her to sleep away from Louis so long as she was pregnant, a suggestion which Louis came up with, but to which she agreed.

The Queen knocked on the door, hoping to be able to greet her husband and invite him to eat breakfast with her, a tradition which they had seemed to have lost not long after she had told him that she was with child. When no answer came, she knocked once again and finally her husband opened the door wide with a smile on his face that quickly turned to panic as soon as he saw that Anne was standing before him and not one of his servants coming to bring him breakfast as he expected.

"Anne, I am surprised… I didn't expect…" he spoke nervously when Anne's soft and beautiful smile faded when she looked behind her husband and found her childhood friend lying naked beneath the sheets in the bed Anne and Louis shared together. "Anne, I can explain, please."

Tears formed in her eyes and she started to turn away as she replied, "There's no need."

Louis began to chase after her wearing only his robe as he cried, "Anne, I'm sorry. I did not mean to hurt you this way. I love you, but as you're carrying my son…"

"We do not know if our child will be a boy," she interrupted with more anger than she meant to show. "And this baby is ours, not just yours. I am not angry with you for sleeping with Corinne. I could see the way the two of you were acting ever since you met and I suspected that this may happen, especially since I can no longer satisfy your needs while I am pregnant. However, she is my best friend and now, you will only end up breaking her heart."

"Corinne understands that what happened between us last night was nothing more than a throw of passion which will last only for as long as she is here in Paris," Louis answered. "I neither mean to hurt her, nor you."

Anne looked at her husband sadly as she responded, "Whether you've meant to hurt us or not doesn't matter. You are the King. If you say you have done no wrong, then it is so. Now, I'm afraid I have somewhere I need to be. I have invited Madam Bonacieux here to the palace this morning as I wish to speak with her about becoming one of my ladies in waiting. I have come to think quite highly of her stitching and fine cooking. I will see you later this afternoon. Enjoy breakfast."

Louis watched her leave, but this time he didn't follow after her. Instead, he walked back to his bedchambers and once again laid down beside the woman who had now become his mistress as he gently began to stroke her face to wake her. She simply smiled up at him and before she could say a word, the King leaned down and began to kiss her over and over again on her lips, neck, and bare breasts, as he had done hours earlier, quickly forgetting how he had hurt Anne.

Though what the Queen had told her husband about Constance's talent was true, Anne did not actually ask Madam Bonacieux to come to see her. However, it was the first lie she could think of in order to escape from the awkward moment with Louis, as speaking with the woman was something she had on her mind for some time now.

But now, Anne just continued walking until she collapsed on the ground within the gardens around the palace and began to weep. Her tears weren't because she was hurt by her husband's affair, as she did not love him, but because the King could love other women with no consequences. She however, was in love with Aramis and the two of them could never be together, as he would be executed and she would most likely become exiled for their indiscretion should their one night together be discovered by someone other than those devoted to the Queen and this musketeer. It was at this moment that she truly despised her father and mother for arranging hers and Louis' marriage back when she was only a small girl, who once dreamed of marrying for love.


	16. Chapter 16

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Sixteen

"Nothing!" Porthos growled in frustration as he, Athos, and d'Artagnan finished searching the old dungeon lying beneath the palace floors after locking their prisoner within one of its cells. "Aramis isn't here!"

"Did you really expect him to be?" d'Artagnan asked as he looked over at his larger companion.

Porthos glared at the young man as he responded, "No, not really, but I was hoping. What are we going to do now? Where would those bastards take him?"

Athos shook his head and then replied worryingly, "I don't know. The Duke must have plans to make Aramis suffer before he kills him, otherwise he would have just killed him here, but why bring him someplace else?"

"Perhaps it's good that the Duke has taken him somewhere else," d'Artagnan stated. "I mean, otherwise we may have been too late to help Aramis."

"We might still be too late to save him," Porthos answered angrily.

Athos looked between his friends as he responded, "We still have time. Aramis will hold on long enough for us to find him. We all always have whenever one of us are in trouble. Otherwise, we all would have been dead a long time ago. I have a feeling that the Duke plans to let him die from the poison that's killing him because it's probably the cruelest…"

When their leader paused, d'Artagnan and Porthos stared at him in confusion as d'Artagnan asked, "Athos? What's wrong? What are you thinking?"

"No, the cruelest kind of punishment the Duke can force upon Aramis would be to take him back to where his suffering began," Athos responded coldly. "Back to the snow burdened field where our dead brothers lie in order to finish killing the men he believes came here to try to assassinate him."

"We need to get there, now!" Porthos shouted forcefully as he started to run through the palace halls, followed by the others, as they quickly made their way back to their horses. "Come on!"

In the early hours of the morning…

Aramis struggled as he slowly awakened within a dark, tight space. Not only did he find that he was bound with his hands restrained behind his back and his feet strapped together, but also that he had begun to feel feverish, its effects coursing throughout his body, and sick to his stomach. It didn't take much for Aramis to realize that somehow he had been poisoned just like the rest of the people he had been forced away from when a few of the Duke's soldiers came and struck him hard over his head to stop him from fighting against them.

At first Aramis struggled against his bindings, but then he finally stopped and lay still as he allowed himself to listen to the sounds surrounding him, as well as to feel the movements. The musketeer was able to hear the sounds of horses as they pulled a carriage across rough terrain. The ride lasted over twenty minutes, at least since the time he had awakened, but it didn't help him to know where he might be headed, as he didn't know how long he had been unconscious.

Finally the horses came to a stop and he could hear men move around as they spoke, though he couldn't make out anything that was said. A few minutes more passed and the space he was in suddenly opened and the soldiers who grabbed him earlier, roughly pulled him from what he could now see was a large trunk tied onto the back of the carriage. The men dragged him out into the middle of a field and dropped him carelessly to the ground, leaving him there to lie within the thin layer of snow as he struggled to look out at his surroundings, the darkness of the sky, despite the sun slowly beginning to rise in the distance, and the haze of his illness still making it difficult for him to see, though he finally recognized exactly where he was. Aramis' eyes finally rested upon the Duke, who slowly began to move toward him, followed by the man that always remained at his side, Gontard.

The Duke cruelly smiled down at him and then began to speak saying, "It's good to see that you're finally awake. When my men brought you back to my palace unconscious, and I saw that you yourself have fallen ill like the rest of my people, I feared that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the last few moments of your life before I thrust your own sword through your chest and into your heart."

Aramis wanted to be cocky, as he usually was with any of the musketeers' enemies, but he neither was in the mood, nor did he have the strength to be so, so instead Aramis bluntly replied, "Your people… are dying and you have not even ordered… your physicians to go down into the city to try to help them. I've tried to do all I can for them, but…"

"According to my men, your efforts were of no use and so it's clear that my men wouldn't have been able to do any better," The Duke interrupted snidely. "Many of my people have already died. You failed them."

"You're right," Aramis answered, finding more and more difficult to continue talking, as his strength was slowly fading. "At least I care… cared enough to try. I can still help them. There's an antidote… for every poison. I just need… to… find it. Do you not care?"

The Duke suddenly struck the musketeer before him across his face with as much brute force as he had, causing Aramis to writhe against the ground, then stood back and shouted, "I didn't bring you here to talk about my people! I brought you here, to finish what I thought I finished five years ago when I had each of you treacherous musketeers slaughtered like animals while you slept. However, I discovered recently that one of you assassins somehow managed to survive and it turns out, that you happen to be the very man who was very nearly successful in striking me dead, gave me a nice scar across my back. The question I want answered, is how is it that you're still a musketeer, still under Captain Treville and King Louis' protection, when you should have been hung for treason?"

Aramis didn't respond, knowing that he could not speak the truth as it would destroy not only the treaty between Paris and Savoy, but also destroy the secret that the Duke's own wife was a spy, putting her life and their son's life in jeopardy, as well as the lives of those that would die should the Duke strike out against all those that deceived him. Aramis would not destroy what twenty of his brothers gave their lives for.

When the captive didn't speak, Gontard stepped forward as he said, "He clearly has nothing more to say. Perhaps, My Lord, you should just kill him now so we can leave this dismal place and go home to where we will be warm again."

"I want answers!" the Duke cried angrily as he grabbed hold of Aramis once again as he thrust a dagger tightly up against his throat, hoping to force the truth from him. "You will tell me what I want to know!"

"I have no answers to give," Aramis responded boldly as he stared deep into the royal's eyes. "Kill me."

The Duke smiled smugly as he used the dagger to cut through the restraints holding his legs and feet together, dropped the smaller weapon on the ground beside him, then stood and took Aramis' sword from Gontard's hands and suddenly slashed it across his chest, creating a large, deep gash matching the very scar across his own back and causing Aramis to cry out in pain as he replied, "I won't make this easy for you, musketeer. You will fight me, now get up."

Aramis weakly backed away from the man holding his blade as he held his free hand against his chest, then struggled as he answered, "I wo… won't."

"Very well, then you will die like a coward, falling where the rest of your traitorous brothers in arms fell years ago," the Duke stated angrily as he raised Aramis' sword again for the final blow.

All of a sudden a rider came charging upon them and threw himself from off his horse on top of the Duke to knock him away from Aramis, while two more riders came charging from behind, one of whom jumped down and rushed over and pulled the musketeer into his arms as he firmly, but as tenderly as possible placed his free hand over the wound, not wanting to cause his brother anymore pain. Porthos, Athos, and d'Artagnan had come for him.

"I should have known that you three would come to try to save this coward," the Duke said coldly as he and Athos both quickly regained their stances.

Athos glared at the Duke as he responded steadfastly, "We never wanted it to come to this, my Lord, but we will not allow you to kill Aramis. I am giving you one warning. Stand down and go back to your palace or I will do what I must to make sure that our brother lives and that you can no longer harm him."

The Duke snarled as he replied, "I see the same look in your eyes now, that I saw when you and I fought once before. I saw the hatred you held against me and did not understand then why, but now I see to truth. I see that you learned it was I who slaughtered the rest of your brothers and arms five years ago here in this very spot."

"It's true I wanted to kill you then, just as I do now," Athos answered. "For your sake and for your wife's and son's, do not do this."

"I will not stand down!" the Duke cried as he boldly charged Athos with every intent to kill the musketeer standing between him and his fallen enemy.


	17. Chapter 17

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Seventeen

While d'Artagnan crossed swords with Gontard, Athos fought against the Duke, though he didn't fight with as much ferocity as he usually did against his opponents, as the musketeer hoped not to have to kill the man, only to keep him from striking out against their fallen brother again. Unfortunately, the Duke wasn't leaving Athos with much choice.

The Duke smiled cockily as he continued to fight against the musketeer dressed in all black, then finally spoke again smugly saying, "I know you want to kill me. Just as I saw it in your eyes back then, I can see that you want to kill me now more than ever, but you're not fighting like I know you can. Why are you holding back? Is it because you know that if you kill me, this traitor you three are protecting will not be the only one to die because of what happens here today?"

Aramis fought against Porthos to sit up straighter within his arms, then called out to their leader weakly, "He's ri… right… Athos. Please…"

"The four of us are in this together," Athos answered Aramis while continuing to stare down their enemy before him in between the clashes of their swords. "This is more than the oath we took back when we became musketeers. We are brothers. We protect each other at all costs, so long as we remain just. And you, Aramis, are one of the best men I know."

"You're my closest friend," Porthos added swiftly. "Now hush."

The Duke grew angry, increasing his ferocity against the musketeer, who realized that this battle had to end now, or Aramis wasn't going to survive much longer, so long as he remained out in the cold. Finally, the youngest musketeer managed to strike down Gontard, firing a musket ball through his heart as the Duke's right hand attempted to thrust his sword into d'Artagnan's chest. Gontard's death was the distraction Athos needed, as the Duke turned his head the moment his advisor fell, allowing Athos to run his blade into the lord's abdomen.

The Duke's death was slow, as he began to choke on his own blood, so Athos pulled out his own pistol and fired a ball directly into the man's heart to end his suffering. When both enemies were dead, Athos and d'Artagnan quickly ran over to their friends as Porthos attempted to lift Aramis from off the ground upon seeing that his consciousness was fading. However, as they did so, another rider coming toward them fast and when the rider came into view, they immediately saw that it was the Duchess.

Upon seeing her husband dead upon the frozen ground, she screamed, "No! You killed him! You weren't supposed to kill him!"

Athos stood quickly as he slowly approached her, despite the pistol she pulled out from beneath her cloak and aimed it directly upon the musketeers who once helped her when her secret was about to be blown, then he spoke calmly saying, "As opposed to what, my Lady? Did you just expect that we would simply believe that the Duke orchestrated the poisoning of your people and that we would go back to Paris with the two of you and your son in tow, counting on your brother showing mercy on him so that he would be exiled and that you and your son would be free, to live once again in Paris where you long to return to?"

"I loved my husband," she replied coldly. "I didn't want to hurt him. I loved him, but I knew that he would never give up his power for me, so I did the only thing I could think of. I hate Savoy! I always have. Louis would have spared his life. We would have been free to live together in Paris, but your friend there had to interfere, getting the rest of you to investigate."

"Our friend did all he could to save as many lives as possible," d'Artagnan responded worryingly as he slowly moved to stand beside Athos, while Porthos remained back with Aramis. "Is what you did worth the lives you destroyed, including that of your husband's, of your son's?"

She quickly aimed her gun in the younger musketeer's direction as she stated, "I didn't destroy my son's life."

Athos continued, "Don't you realize that when he learns his father is dead and that his own mother was responsible for his death… Don't you know that this will crush him?"

"Why did you tell your husband about Aramis?" Porthos asked her angrily. "What did revealing what you overheard Athos and I speaking of do for you? We helped you when your secret was about to be revealed, and this is how you repay us?"

"I had no choice," she answered curtly as she looked down at the wounded man on the ground. "He was trying to stop what I was trying to accomplish. He was trying to ruin what I started, so I had to stop him."

Athos swiftly disarmed her the moment she turned away from him and she cried out until she finally gave up her struggle with the musketeer's arms, then he glared at her as he asked, "What was the poison you used? What poison did your friend that we arrested use on your people?"

She looked up at him with hate in her eyes as she replied coldly, "The angel of death has come. You will never save them or your brother."

"Aman… ita ocre… ata, of course," Aramis suddenly spoke again, barely above a whisper, as he tried to focus on Porthos face. "Belladonna. You need… bella… do…"

"Aramis!" Porthos cried, panic stricken as he gently patted his comrade's cheek as he slowly fell unconscious before being able to finish. "Aramis!"

D'Artagnan rushed over to his friends to help Porthos lift Aramis into his arms, while Athos guided the Duchess back over to her horse, then tied her hands tightly around the saddle's horn so that he could also help his friends as he said quickly, "We need to get him someplace warm and where we can patch him up. We can't go back to Savoy, not after killing the Duke, but we can take him back to the inn where we rested before coming here. We'll take the Duchess with us."

Once the musketeers moved to their horses that were standing nearby, even after their riders had jumped off them to fight their enemies, they carefully lay Aramis within Athos' arms as soon as he had mounted, D'Artagnan asked, "What about the poison? What was Aramis trying to tell us?"

"I believe he was trying to tell us the cure," Athos responded wearily. "Which is why as soon as we get Aramis to safety and as comfortable as we can, two of us must head back into the city to try to gather as much of this, belladonna, as we can to try to save the rest of the people, while the other remains behind to stay with Aramis and the Duchess. Then, we'll be back to give the cure to him too."


	18. Chapter 18

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Eighteen

"Athos, you said it yourself, it's not safe for any of us to go back into Savoy," Porthos said quietly after the musketeers finally arrived at the inn once again several hours later, the inn being the closest and most importantly, the safest place for them to stay, and got Aramis settled into the bed he had slept in nights ago before all their trouble had begun, this time the innkeeper giving them no problems.

"I know it's not safe, but we don't have a choice," Athos replied as he looked down sadly at their friend slowly dying before them. "Aramis will die if we don't go. And we need to finish what Aramis started."

Porthos glared at their leader as he responded, "I know that. All I was saying was be careful, the both of you. The people in the city are agitated and afraid. Not to mention what the soldiers and guards will do upon seeing either of you again, especially if they were to learn that the Duke is dead and that we've arrested the Duchess."

D'Artagnan looked between his friends and stated, "Hopefully that news won't travel around for a few days. As far as we know, the four of us, and the Duchess, are the only ones who know that their Lord and Gontard are dead and we've brought their bodies here with us. It will most likely be just the people that we have to worry about. We'll be alright."

"Just hurry," Porthos answered fearfully. "Aramis is burning up with fever, not to mention he's been badly wounded and his body's as cold as ice. Who knows how long he's going to be able to hold on for."

"He won't give up," Athos replied as he and d'Artagnan turned to leave. "Take care of him."

Once the two soldiers left, the Duchess, who was now sitting down in a chair while her hands were tied around a post that stood in the middle of the main room of the inn, looked over at the larger musketeer sadly, who had yet to return to the room were Aramis lie, then spoke up saying, "I know what I did was wrong. I am not an evil woman."

Porthos scoffed, then responded, "Only an evil person has the ability to do what you did, my Lady. You murdered innocent men, women, and children, hundreds more may still die, and you got your own husband killed. You also have nearly succeeded in killing one of our brothers. Your husband was evil too, but you're worse."

"You murdered my husband," she answered angrily. "Or rather your comrade did. It's only right that your wounded friend should die in turn. That's justice."

"I hate to disappoint you," Porthos replied sarcastically. "Aramis won't die here today. He's a hell of a lot stronger than you know. And the rest of your people you've poisoned are not going to die either. He figured out how to save them."

She looked at Porthos again with a grin on her face as she responded smugly, "We'll see."

Hours later…

When Athos and d'Artagnan rode into Savoy after riding as quickly as they could to make it there as soon as possible, the two men found that the people were as bad off as they feared they would be. As they rode through the streets, the people who had been fortunate to not have been trapped within the barricades only glared at the musketeers as they rode by, while those that had been trapped, though were no longer as the barriers had finally been torn down, not only glared at them, but also began to scream and throw rotten fruit at them, among other things.

D'Artagnan stated sadly, "It's even worse than I feared. Even if we do manage to find the cure in time to save those still alive, what makes you think that the majority of these people will trust us enough to let us help them?"

"I don't know," Athos answered. "From the bruises on Aramis' face and body that I could see, it's clear that they didn't care for his help after a certain point either. We need to find a place where we can find belladonna."

"It's a plant I believe, though I don't know much about it," d'Artagnan replied as he looked down the street as though he were looking for someone or something specific.

"What are you looking for?" Athos asked in confusion.

D'Artagnan turned back to look over at his companion and responded, "Back when we first arrived here, I remembered seeing a spice shop as we walked through the city. I thought that maybe if anyone knew where we can find what we need…"

Athos continued for his companion, "That this vendor might, even quite possibly have it themselves. Good thinking, d'Artagnan. Do you think you can remember where this shop was?"

"I think I do," the young Gascon answered as he dismounted from his horse, then began to make his way through the crowd on foot, as did Athos, to where he had seen what they were searching for. "It isn't far."

When the musketeers finally found the shop which d'Artagnan had spoken off, they found it to be closed and locked up, even though it was now well into the morning. As it turned out, many of the shops were still closed due to the trouble going on throughout the city. It didn't faze the soldiers though, as Athos swiftly knocked loudly on the door in order to get the shop's owner to open up to them. It was clear to those around them that these men weren't going anywhere any time soon.

"Can you not see that I'm closed this morning?" a woman called out when she finally walked out from the back, then opened the door in order to stop the men in front of her from banging and disrupting the people. "You must be blind, or fools."

Athos swiftly barged inside as he replied, "I'm well aware that you're closed madam, but I don't have time to be cordial. I need to know if you have any belladonna on hand here, or know where we can find any."

The shopkeeper cried out, "You cannot break in here, just because you're musketeers and expect me to help you!"

"Hundreds of people out there are dying and we believe we know how we can save them, so I don't care about what you might feel right now," Athos responded coldly. "Do you know where we can get our hands on belladonna, or not?"

"What makes you think that belladonna will help you?" she asked in frustration, finally putting aside her anger toward the two soldiers that had disturbed her. "It's a poisonous plant. Your other friend that was trapped inside the barricades earlier tried to help us, only he failed. Now the two of you come in here, looking to finish the rest of us off?"

D'Artagnan answered, "Our friend believes that belladonna is the key to finding the cure to this other poison, something he called… amanita o… o…"

The woman stared between the musketeers as she replied, "Amanita ocreata? As in, the angel of death?"

"Yes, that was it," Athos responded quickly. "Do you know of it?"

"If your companion managed to figure this out, then he's a lot smarter than all of us took him for," the woman answered as she moved toward a large shelf containing a number of bottles of different herbs and spices for sale. "I've read it's possible that belladonna has the supplements needed to counteract amanita ocreata poisoning, but it has never been tested. I mean, as I said, belladonna is another poison. It's just as possible that it could kill the victims of the poisoning even faster."

Athos looked over at d'Artagnan, who simply shook his head in agreement, then the leader turned back to the woman and stated firmly, "These people will die for sure if we do nothing. If there's a possibility that this second poison can counteract the first, then we need to take as much as we can find and have it distributed among everyone the angel of death has affected."

D'Artagnan added, "Our friend may have said his final words trying to tell us about this. I trust him with my life, as well as with the lives of the men I fight beside day after day and the people we fight to protect. He's right, I'm certain of it."


	19. Chapter 19

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Nineteen

An hour passed since Athos and d'Artagnan left to go back into the city. The Duchess remained quiet after Porthos spoke with her and so he decided to move her into one of the rooms down the hall where she would be more comfortable, locking the door from the outside in order to make sure that she couldn't run, even though he didn't believe that she deserved any courtesy for all the pain she caused.

After doing so, Porthos slowly walked back to where Aramis continued to lie unconscious as his raging fever worsened. The larger musketeer turned to the innkeeper, who stood in the doorway and stared at the two soldiers that had taken over his inn for the second time, then Porthos gruffly ordered the man to bring him some hot water, clean rags, and bandages to be able to tend to his comrade. After doing so, Porthos ordered the man to leave so that he could be left in peace.

Porthos looked down at the man whom he had known longer and better than the rest of his brothers sadly as he reached over to pour the water into the basin, soaked a rag and gently lay it across Aramis' head, then he ripped open his undershirt wide so that he could begin to tend to the large, deep gash across his chest made by his own sword. Upon doing so, Porthos noticed several bruises, two or three being bigger and worse than the rest, and found that Aramis had at least two broken ribs as well. It was clear that the people had made tending to them very difficult and that Aramis didn't do anything to defend himself against the brutal onslaughts.

The larger man stopped what he was doing for a moment as he stared at the wounds his friend has sustained in shock and disgust, then he stood and suddenly thrust his fist angrily into the wall before him. Porthos wasn't angry at Aramis for staying behind to tend to the sick, nor was he angry at the people for what they had done because he understood how desperate they were, but he was angry at the three people responsible for all of this; the man who had poisoned him, the Duchess, and most of all, the Duke, who had started Aramis' suffering five years ago.

The innkeeper came running into the room again upon hearing the crash and when he saw the large hole in the wall, he shouted, "What have you done? You're destroying my inn!"

Porthos held his now throbbing and bleeding hand as he looked back at the man, then responded brusquely, "I'll either pay you for the damage or I'll repair the hole myself. Leave me alone."

"Fine, just don't punch any more holes in my walls," the man answered in frustration. "I take it that you'll be wanting more brandy?"

"And whisky," Porthos answered curtly. "Lots and lots of whisky. We're going to need it."

The innkeeper scoffed, then walked away, once again leaving Porthos alone to continue administrating to his friend. He quickly picked up one of the rags and wrapped it around his own hand, then got back to Aramis as he looked closely at the gash. Porthos wasn't good at stitching up wounds due to his large hands, so he knew that he wouldn't be able to do any more than simply cleaning it the best he could, then wrap it with bandages in hope that it would keep Aramis from bleeding out.

While he worked, Porthos spoke softly saying, "You've really had a number done to you, my friend. I suppose I understand you not fighting back against the people, but why couldn't you have at least fought the Duke? If we hadn't have shown up when we did, you would have gotten yourself killed. I'm sorry. I realize I sound like I'm blaming you. I'm not. I'm just worried. We can't lose you, Aramis. The three of us have been brothers for too long and now d'Artagnan has joined us as well. You can't give up."

Porthos stopped talking as he gently began to wipe down his comrade's brow, neck, chest, and arms in hope of trying to cool him down a little, though he knew that it wouldn't be of much help if Athos and d'Artagnan failed to come back with the cure for the poison. Through it all, Aramis remained lifeless. The heat radiating off of him and the sound of his faint heartbeat were all that proved he was still alive. His condition scared Porthos more than he could ever admit out loud.

The larger man was about to start talking again when all of a sudden he heard the innkeeper speaking to someone out in the main room, causing Porthos to jump up from where he was sitting as he quickly raised his pistol, then cautiously left the room to find out who the new arrival was.

As he did so, he found Captain Treville standing in the doorway, trying to convince the innkeeper to let him inside, then quickly re-holstered his weapon and moved out into the open as he called out to his Captain asking, "Captain, what are you… Why have you come all the way out here?"

"I received the letter Athos wrote pertaining to your situation," Treville replied wearily, having ridden the long road from Paris on as little sleep as the men under his charge. "I was planning to ride straight into Savoy, but I saw two of your horses tied up outside. Tell me what's going on. Where are the others?"

"It's a long story, Sir," Porthos responded nervously. "There's a lot to explain, but…"

Seeing the despair and fear on the larger soldier's face, the Captain asked again, "Has something bad happened? Are all of you alright?"

Porthos finally shook his head and answered sadly, "No, Captain. I'm afraid Aramis is bad off, just as he was when we found him five years ago after the massacre."

"And the others?" Treville asked after letting out a long sigh.

"Athos and d'Artagnan have gone back into the city in order to gather some plant that will allow them to save the people who were poisoned," Porthos replied. "As I said, it is a long story, one that unfortunately includes the arrest of our King's sister and the death of the Duke."

Captain Treville grew angry as he said curtly, "Go on. Explain everything."

Porthos did so as he slowly led their Captain back into the room where he had been tending to Aramis and when he finished telling him everything up until the fight between Athos and the Duke, that was when Aramis, who had woken before his friend and Captain walked back in, responded weakly, "I kill… killed him, Cap… The others… not… blame. Please don't punish…"

"Aramis is only trying to protect us, Sir," Porthos quickly retorted before his brother could continue. "Athos killed him because he left him no choice. The Duke was going to kill Aramis and then he attacked Athos when he came in between them. If you want to punish someone, then you must punish all of us."


	20. Chapter 20

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Twenty

Aramis slowly began to struggle to get up, despite not having the strength to do so, until Porthos sat down beside him and gently pushed him back against the bed and pillows beneath him. The larger man didn't have to wrestle with him for long as Aramis' strength quickly gave out.

"I… need… help them… the peop… people," Aramis tried to say weakly after he lay his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes. "Bell… adonna… We need… bella… donna to save…."

"You need to rest, Aramis," Porthos interrupted him as he gently patted his friend's shoulder to try to calm him down. "Please, don't worry so much. The others are taking care of the people in the city. You told us what they needed. Everyone's going to be just fine, you'll see."

As he slowly began to lose consciousness once again, Aramis answered sadly, "Not ever… every… one."

Aramis was referring to those who had already died, mainly the small boy he couldn't save, though neither Porthos nor Treville understood what he was talking about as they looked between each other sadly, then finally the Captain spoke up again saying, "It looks like you've got things under control here. We'll discuss all of this when I return with the others after I go out to meet up with them, but before I do, I'm going to have a word with the Duchess."

"That might not be such a good idea, Captain," Porthos responded nervously as he pulled the key to unlock the door of her room and handed it over to him. "She's angry and not exactly in the mood to talk."

"I can imagine," Treville replied as he walked toward the door, but turned back to look at two of the men within his regiment. "Do whatever you have to do to save him, Porthos. The King will be furious over his own sister following in their mother's footsteps and the death of her husband. I'm not sure how he'll react, but I have no doubt that he'll punish the four of you for allowing this to happen, not that you did. The Cardinal will see to that. I promise you I will do all I can to protect you. I know that you all did what you could to stop this, especially if the belladonna saves those that have fallen ill. As far as I'm concerned, the four of you are among the bravest and most valiant men I know."

Porthos nodded, then turned back to Aramis as Captain Treville left and slowly made his way down the hall to find the Duchess. When he unlocked the door and stepped inside the room, the Captain found Louis' sister lying on the bed, but not sleeping, only staring up at the ceiling until she was interrupted.

The woman sat up and stared at the Captain of the musketeers as he walked forward and then spoke up saying, "Hello again, my Lady."

"Captain Treville, I wasn't expecting to see you for some time," she said coolly.

"I came because I heard about the trouble and knew that I was needed here, not in Paris," Treville answered despondently as he took a seat in a chair across from her. "I want to understand, Christine. Why did you do all of this? How could you have your own people poisoned, as well as set up both my man and your husband to die?"

The Duchess' eye grew cold as she responded, "How dare you address me so informally. To you, I am still a duchess, even if it won't be so days from now."

The Captain replied, "You were always Christine under better circumstances and even if Louis chooses to grant you pardon for your crimes, I will never see you again as the gentle woman I honored and respected. Please help me to understand why you've done this."

"As I explained to your men, I was tired of living here in Savoy," the Duchess answered angrily. "I long to return home, to Paris where I can raise my son as I was raised, with a father who will love him and no longer with a father who cared more about his title and land. I loved him deeply, but his priorities were not about me and our son and these people mean nothing to me. None of them care that I am their Duchess, or that I am even sister to their King. Why should I care what happens to them?"

"I had no idea how cold you really were," Treville responded as he stood again. "But then again it seems you have fooled us all. So, the Duke didn't show his love and your people don't have any respect for you, but my men did and they risked their lives to make sure that your husband never learned of the truth about you being Louis' spy. The man dying in the other room has suffered for years to make sure that your secret has been kept safe and you repay him like this. I suggest you ask God to spare his life. Doing so may be the only mercy you shall see for years to come, should your brother spare your life. I will check in with you again when I return. Good day, my Lady."

She watched him leave the room and listened for the sound of the door locking again, then she spoke up to herself saying, "Goodbye, Captain Treville."

Inside the city…

Athos and d'Artagnan finally had the belladonna collected with help from the spice vendor and they made their way throughout the streets until they walked into the area of the city that had been under quarantine until just a few hours before. Upon entering, several people began to cry out at them in anger like when they had arrived. Nonetheless, they kept walking until they came upon the first home containing another small child who had been poisoned.

One of the household members walked up to them as she said bitterly, "I thought we made it clear to the other musketeer that you were no longer welcome here. Leave now, or…"

"We believe we have the cure for the poison," Athos swiftly interrupted. "Our companion figured it out. There's a chance that it may not work, but… if we don't try, then your child and the rest of you will die anyway. Please, give us the chance."

"If you believe you can truly save my daughter's life, then I am willing to allow you to try," the woman replied, hopeful that the musketeers were speaking the truth.

D'Artagnan stepped forward and knelt down beside the little girl lying so near death, then pulled out a small vile from his coat pocket, tipped it over on his finger, then carefully dabbed the liquid upon her lips so that she would be able to absorb and swallow it easier. Silence filled that part of the city as everyone around waited nervously to see if the liquid was indeed the cure that would be able to save everyone else. Finally, the long moments passed as the young child slowly began to stir, then opened her eyes as she searched for her mother. The woman cried softly as she reached down and pulled her daughter into her arms, then looked over at the two soldiers that had just saved her only child and smiled at them in thanks, and continued on to weep joyfully.

D'Artagnan looked over at Athos after watching the moment in silence, then whispered, "Aramis was right. He just saved the rest of these people."

Athos nodded as he let out a sigh of relief, then looked at his comrade as well as he answered, "Yes, he did. And now we can save him as well. We need to hurry and give the antidote to everyone else, then get back to him."


	21. Chapter 21

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Twenty-One

While the two musketeers continued distributing the antidote among all of the people that have been affected by the poison, Captain Treville arrived in the city and worked with them to finish. As they did so, none of the soldiers talked amongst each other, but finally everyone had been taken care of and the musketeers walked to the stable for their horses when d'Artagnan stopped and began to look around among the crowds of people that surrounded them.

"What is it?" Athos asked as he looked at the younger man before he mounted his horse. "We need to get back to Aramis."

"I know, but we've forgotten some people," the Gascon replied quickly. "We gave our word to the gypsies that we would come back once we've found the cure."

Treville looked at them in confusion as he asked, "Gypsies?"

Athos nodded, then turned to their Captain as he answered, "Yes, we've had a run in with a number of them living down in the tunnels beneath the streets. A few of them are sick as well. D'Artagnan's right, we need to…"

"Musketeers! Musketeers!" a boy called out as he came running toward them. "They're saying you've found the cure. Is it true?"

"He's one of the gypsies," Athos quickly whispered as Maude's grandson made his way over to them. "D'Artagnan, how many vials do you have left?"

D'Artagnan pulled out all he had from his coat pocket, then looked up at Athos as he responded, "Only one and there's not much left."

Athos pulled out a vial from his own coat pocket, finding that there was barely a drop left, then looked between Captain Treville and d'Artagnan and answered, "This is all we have. It will have to be enough. Give him your vial, d'Artagnan."

Then he looked down at the boy as he continued, "We used up all the belladonna available, boy, so what's in that bottle will be all you have to distribute among your sick. It doesn't take much, so tell your father and grandmother to use it sparingly. They'll know what to do."

The boy quickly grabbed the vial from the musketeer's hand, then ran off again, without so much as a thank you. D'Artagnan shook his head in disgust at the boy's lack of courtesy as he turned and mounted his own horse, then looked over at Athos, who was staring worryingly at the small bottle in his hand. It was clear that he was afraid that what little liquid they had left would not be enough to save Aramis too. He didn't say anything about it as they began their ride back, but instead, looked over their Captain, who had taken the lead, Athos almost directly beside him.

"Why have you come, Captain?" d'Artagnan asked as they rode. "How did you know what was going on?"

"I left Paris as soon as I could after receiving Athos' letter he wrote explaining what was happening," Treville responded. "On my way here, I discovered two of your horses tied up outside of the inn. I spoke with Porthos. He explained everything."

Athos wanted to say something in their defense, but decided against it as he realized that Porthos would have done so already. Instead, he concentrated on the road ahead as he kicked his heals against his horse's sides in order to get the creature to run faster, Athos now becoming the lead rider. Both Treville and d'Artagnan followed suit as the three were now riding as fast as possible to get the antidote back to their brother before death could take him.

It took a few hours and by the time the soldiers arrived back at the old inn, night had fallen once again and they were exhausted, but they shook off their weariness as they quickly dismounted and tied their horses beside the others that were still tied outside despite the stable being next to the inn, then rushed inside, finding only the innkeeper working behind the bar inside the main room.

Upon hearing the sound of their arrival, Porthos quickly emerged from Aramis' room, gun in hand, prepared to fight, but when he found his friends had returned, he re-holstered his weapon and walked over to join them as he asked, "So, did you find the belladonna? Did it work?"

Athos walked past the larger man to get to their dying friend as he pulled the vial from his pocket once again, then d'Artagnan followed after him as he replied to Porthos' question saying, "We were able to save most of those that had been poisoned. They'll all be ill for some time still, but they will get better. Aramis saved them. Is he…?"

"He's barely breathing," Porthos answered fearfully as he walked back into his room and pushed through his friends in order to retake his seat beside Aramis once again, then continued his administrations. "He needs the cure, now."

"There isn't hardly any left," Athos said in frustration as he knelt down at the head of the bed and looked down at their brother worryingly, as they could all see that Aramis had grown dangerously frail and his skin as cold as ice even though it was clear that a fever was burning hot within him, then raised the vial to his lips and gently poured the last of the liquid into his mouth. "But he's going to survive this."

When the belladonna was gone and the companions had done all they could, the four men remained silent as they waited, praying that they were in time. Several minutes passed and still there had been no change. At least with the people in the city, once the musketeers had administered the cure to them, a change could be seen almost right away, whether they had awoken or they began to breathe easier, but with Aramis, neither was true.

Porthos' hands shook anxiously and when his patience grew thin, he spoke up angrily saying, "Nothing's happening. Why is nothing happening?"

Captain Treville tried comforting the larger man as he gently placed a hand down on his shoulder, then he responded, "It's going to take time. We have to continue to be patient."

"Porthos is right," Athos replied as he suddenly stood up again and began to pace back and forth as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair. "Signs that the cure worked for all of the others came immediately."

"Yes, but no one else was wounded, nor were they suffering from the emotions that this whole trip to Savoy has dug up for Aramis," d'Artagnan answered, sensing the anxiety that was beginning to grow thicker within the room. "It's all taken a toll on him. We could all see it before we even arrived here days ago."

Porthos scoffed and then responded, "Even so, it should have done something by now. You didn't save enough belladonna for the one person who matters most!"

Athos stopped and stared at his friend sadly, then replied, "You're right."

"Perhaps, but Aramis would tell us that saving the people would be more important," their Captain said firmly. "You saved them, all of them. Even if you can't save Aramis too…"

Before Treville could finish, Aramis' hand weakly stirred beneath Porthos' even larger one, causing Porthos to quickly reach up to the sharpshooter's neck with his free hand to feel for a pulse, muttering a quick prayer as he did so. It was still faint, but he could feel that it had become a little stronger.

"I think it's working," Porthos finally stated as he smiled and then began to laugh enthusiastically. "You boys did it. He's going to make it!"


	22. Chapter 22

Cura Te Ipsum

Chapter Twenty-Two

In Paris…

Queen Anne was once again sitting within her conservatory admiring the edelweiss and the poinsettias she had asked Louis long ago to bring in for her every winter as both plants reminded her of home, the only time in her life when she felt her life was her own even though she had already been promised to the King. Despite the cold, she was enjoying the peace and serenity her gardens brought her, especially now as Louis was still spending most of his time with Corinne.

She had been sitting outside for almost an hour when she heard the sound of horses and a carriage coming up the pathway. When Anne stood and walked outside to see who was arriving, she saw Captain Treville had returned with the musketeers who had left over a week ago for Savoy to pick up her husband's sister and her son.

The Queen observed from a distance as Treville and one of the soldiers walked to the carriage to help the Duchess and the boy step down, while the other two quickly dismounted and moved to Aramis' side in order to help him down from his own horse, as it appeared that he had been wounded. It was then that she remembered the Captain of the musketeers had mentioned Aramis had been trapped among the people who had fallen ill and she feared that the soldier himself had caught the sickness. Tears came to her eyes when she saw how difficult it was for the man she loved to dismount from his horse or even to walk. His brothers were having to help him more than she was sure he liked.

The musketeers were unaware that they were being watched by anyone other than the guards and soldiers that stood nearby to escort the Duchess and musketeers inside the palace to the King, not that it would have mattered. They had come to the palace to bring the Duchess before King Louis, where they would have to explain how his sister had killed a number of her people and that they had been forced to kill the Duke. Judgment was coming and the five men were afraid that this might be the moment the Cardinal had been waiting for to be able to have them arrested and the musketeers disbanded.

Once Porthos and Athos helped Aramis down from his horse, the sharpshooter nearly lost his balance and would have fallen to the ground if it weren't for his friends being right beside him to keep him upright, then Aramis gently held his hand against his wound, having hurt it the more he moved, as he spoke quietly saying, "Thank you."

Porthos looked over at Athos nervously as he responded, "It's no problem. Are you feeling alright? You shouldn't be here, you know."

"Porthos is right," Athos added when Aramis didn't reply right off. "You should allow us to take you back to the barracks so you can rest while we stand before the King."

"That isn't necessary," Aramis answered weakly as he finally looked between his three friends, all of whom were now standing with him. "I will face the consequences… with the men I am proud to call my brothers. This is my fault."

Athos turned to him and responded, "You're wrong, none of this is your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself for all the things you had no control over. The Duchess tried to kill her people. She told the Duke about you and he refused to stand down after he tried to kill you."

Aramis shook his head as he replied, "You three may die… because you protected me. Why should I have lived...?"

"None of us are going to die here today, Aramis," Athos interrupted when the sharpshooter cut himself off. "I killed the Duke because he refused to stand down after trying to kill you. You did no wrong against him five years ago, just as you did no wrong against him now. And you did not wrong us."

"I have to believe that our King will be fair, even though it is the Duchess we are about to bring to trial for her crimes and even if the Cardinal is standing beside him, trying to persuade him to get rid of us," Porthos added. "Besides, the Queen will be there as well and it's obvious that she has taken a liking to you, more so than to the rest of us."

When Aramis shamefully looked away again, Athos spoke up again, understanding the true reason he had done so, saying, "Yes, surely she will have more influence on Louis, than Richelieu. Are you certain you're ready?"

Aramis looked between Athos, Porthos, d'Artagnan, and Captain Treville as he nodded and focused on standing as tall as he could, fighting against the pain, then together, the four musketeers and the Duchess, being escorted by the Captain along with her son, walked through the doors that opened up into the main hall where Louis was sitting on his throne while talking with Cardinal Richelieu. Everyone turned to stare at them in shock upon seeing their King's sister, the Duchess of Savoy, wearing restraints.

Louis stood and angrily called out, "What is the meaning of this? Why do you have my sister in shackles?"

"Louis, please try to remain calm and allow them to explain their actions before you become cross," Anne said swiftly as she walked toward her husband, having entered the room from behind the soldiers, then sat calmly upon her own throne beside him. "I am certain they have a good reason. You must hear them out."

"I do not care what their reason is," Louis answered coldly. "I want you to release her now, this moment. Explain this, Treville."

Captain Treville did as their King asked, undoing the restraints from her wrists, and then moved forward to begin as he responded, "I ask your forgiveness on behalf of my myself and my men in regards to the Duchess' treatment, Your Majesty. I am afraid that I have a tragedy to discuss concerning your sister and the death of her husband, the Duke."

Louis sat down again as he asked in surprise, "The Duke of Savoy is dead?"

"Sadly yes, Your Highness," the Captain replied. "However, only my men can explain what really happened as they were in Savoy longer than I. They are all prepared to stand here before you now."

"Go on then," the King stated in frustration as he turned to look between the four musketeers as they all stepped forward and before the King and Queen. "Please, do explain."

Athos stood with confidence, though he didn't feel it, as he began, "Upon your orders, Your Majesty, the four of us travelled to Savoy in order to escort the Duchess of Savoy and her son back here to Paris. However, as soon as we arrived, we were immediately swept up in the trouble running throughout the city. A sickness had spread among the people."

Despite still feeling weak, Aramis continued more curtly than he meant to be, "The illness had begun days before our arrival and the Duke had yet to send his physicians down into the city to treat them… out of fear that the illness was the plague. I… I stayed with them because I have little… medicinal knowledge. I need… to hel… help…."

"Aramis wanted to remain behind to help them in any way that he could," Porthos finished for their sharpshooter when Aramis doubled over in pain and began to collapse, until d'Artagnan quickly rushed to the corner of the room to grab a chair, then moved back to his friends and placed the chair down for Aramis to sit on. "It turns out the illness was caused because the people had been poisoned; Aramis too later on because he had become a threat to the murderer."

"Before we could discover that everyone had become poisoned, a quarantine was put in place by the Duke's orders," d'Artagnan stated. "We were at the palace, so we were outside of the barricades put in place, but Aramis wasn't. Though we were obligated to escort the Duchess here to Paris, we couldn't just leave one of our own behind. Athos and Porthos escorted the Duchess and her son to their cottage by the lake where they would be comfortable, while I tended to some business of my own."

Athos took over again as he continued to explain all that happened and when he finally finished, without the true reason why Aramis had come to be nearly killed by the Duke, as the truth about the massacre in Savoy five years ago was a secret between only a small number of people, King Louis stared coldly at the woman, who looked up at her brother with pleading eyes, then he began to pace back and forth as he tried to figure out what he needed to do. Their own mother was a traitor to the crown and now the one person he loved in the world beside his wife was too. After a few moments, the Cardinal stepped forward and began to whisper something in the King's ear.

When the King and Richelieu appeared to be finished speaking, Captain Treville spoke again saying, "Your Majesty…"

Louis quickly cut the Captain of his musketeers off as he interrupted, "Do not say another word, Treville. Your men killed not just the Duke of Savoy, but also the husband of my sister, even if it was in defense of one of your men. They did not have the right. Their actions have destroyed the treaty between Paris and Savoy, which no longer has a leader, as the Duchess is guilty of murder and treason. Though the Duchess has committed this treacherous act, I cannot find it in my heart to sentence her to death. Therefore, I demote her from her state of power and banish her from Savoy. She shall remain here in Paris as an exile. At least this way, Christine, you will be able to raise your son until he is old enough to become the new Duke of Savoy."

"Thank you, my Lord," The woman said softly as she smiled while she looked into her brother's eyes, as he walked over to stand before her, then she curtsied before him and remained down low to the ground so long as Louis stood over her.

"As for you four musketeers," Louis continued coldly. "Each of you are suspended from your duties until I feel adequate time has passed and when you do return to work, if you do return to work, your wages will be cut. The Cardinal has reminded me that your actions are worthy of your dismissal and the disbandment of the musketeers. However, as there have been more and more attempts on mine and Queen Anne's lives and the people of Paris have been increasingly in need of a regiment created for their protection and their accountability, I feel the musketeers are necessary and because you four are without doubt the best of them all… I suggest you take this time to think about your grievous actions. And let me warn you now, should you fall out of line again in the slightest, I will have you dismissed and you will be disciplined far more severely. As for you, Treville, you will remain the Captain of your musketeers, but your wages shall be cut as well. Discipline your men and keep them in line. Have I made myself clear?"

Each of the soldiers bowed before their King again, including Aramis, who needed help from his friends to do so, and then Louis stood and walked away with his sister so they could speak with one another in a more private setting. Everyone watched them leave the main hall and once they were gone, Cardinal Richelieu walked over to the musketeers, a cold look plastered upon his face.

He spoke up saying, "You gentlemen are very lucky that our King was feeling merciful today, despite the horrendous mistakes you made. However, perhaps this mess you've created isn't quite as dire as it seems. Something even better might yet come along with a new Duke of Savoy in place. I suppose we will have to see, won't we? Good day."

"I hate to say so, but it's possible that the Cardinal may be right, at least about one thing," Captain Treville said softly enough so that only his men could hear him, as Queen Anne slowly stepped down from her throne and walked over to stand with the musketeers.

"Forgive my interruption, gentlemen," the Queen stated sincerely, speaking to all of them, but looking longingly at Aramis, who looked back at her with the same countenance. "I wanted to come over to see how each of you are faring. After all you have been through… Are each of you well?"

Anne looked away from Aramis and turned to Athos as he answered, "As well as can be expected under the circumstances, Your Highness. The King was indeed far more lenient than we deserve."

The Queen gently shook her head as she responded, "Actually, I feel my husband was a little harsh to be honest. I am just grateful that he has chosen to show lenience by not dismissing you all together. This city needs men as loyal and as honorable as you. I can only hope that though you will not be performing your duties for as long as Louis chooses, that you will continue to be the men I know each of you to be."

"You have nothing to fear, Your Majesty," Captain Treville replied as he and the other musketeers bowed once again before her. "My men are as honorable as you believe them to be."

"We will always be… your devoted servants, whether we… are the King's musketeers or not," Aramis added as he continued to look at Anne with sadness in his eyes while he stood as straight as he could with help from Porthos, despite feeling far more weak than he had admitted to his friends and their Captain.

Queen Anne smiled, then bowed her head and turned to walk away, her ladies in waiting walking behind her. As soon as she had left the room, Aramis suddenly collapsed into Porthos' arms as the larger musketeer and leader of their troupe quickly held him tightly, while d'Artagnan and Treville stood nearby to help if needed.

Porthos said gruffly, "I knew we should have brought you back to the barracks first before coming here. Why didn't you tell us how much pain you were really still in?"

"I told you, I… I deserve to be here for the edict of… our actions even more so than the rest… of you," Aramis answered weakly.

"Bollocks," Porthos responded angrily. "It has only been four days since you came around. We should have forced you to rest longer."

Athos helped Porthos lift Aramis off the floor and together they slowly made their way out of the palace so that they could get their sharpshooter to a place where he would be comfortable again, then once they had helped him onto his horse, d'Artagnan replied, "I agree, though it probably would have done us no good. He would have fought us every step of the way."

Porthos mounted his own horse and slowly began to ride alongside Aramis, to be there for him should he begin to fall, then he changed the subject as he spoke again in frustration saying, "I can't believe that the Duchess still got everything she wanted. She murdered her own people and our King rewards her, instead of punishing her in any way. At least she must live as an exile. And us, no duties for however long our King sees fit. How are we supposed to earn a living when we have no other talents to fall back on? We are musketeers, nothing more."

"We should all be grateful that the punishments were not more severe," their Captain answered. "At least in time we will be able to return as musketeers."

"The Captain's right," d'Artagnan responded as he looked over at Porthos and smiled. "At least now you will have plenty of more time to spend at the tavern, playing cards and stealing the Red Guards' money."

Athos quickly looked at their Captain, then back at his friends as he gave a smile and replied, "So long as we try not to pick as many fights with them, unless of course they start them first."

Porthos laughed and then answered, "Perhaps it might not be so bad to be out of work for a while after all. What do you say, Aramis, when you're feeling better would you be my right hand when I rob the Cardinal's men of their monthly wages?"

"I would like nothing more," Aramis responded softly while he kept his head down as Porthos led his horse along with his own.

Four weeks later…

When Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan went out one morning in search of Aramis, who had started to become more scarce as he continued to get better day by day, the three musketeers finally discovered where their comrade kept running off to in order to remain alone, knowing that it was because Aramis was still struggling to deal with everything that happened while in Savoy; to the site of some old ruins that once was a small church far outside of the city, a quiet and peaceful place.

He no longer blamed himself for causing the Duke's death because he understood that as brothers the four men protected each other no matter the cost, but what he couldn't deal with was that each of them were struggling with not being musketeers so long as they were on suspension, though they wouldn't admit it to anyone out loud.

Aramis also struggled with the ghosts of his brothers he lost five years ago and the deaths of those he couldn't save in Savoy once again, even though his friends did all they could to encourage him that he didn't deserve to suffer for the sins that alone were the Duchess' and the man's who had poisoned them.

"I can't believe I've never been through here," Athos spoke in admiration of the ruins as he, d'Artagnan, and Porthos slowly approached Aramis, who was sitting down upon what once was a large window sill overlooking the forest. "It's no wonder you come here for peace and quiet. It is quite beautiful."

Aramis looked around and then stared off away from his friends as he replied softly, "Indeed it is."

Porthos shook his head as he stated, "It's a little too quiet for my taste. Though I can certainly understand this place's appeal to you."

"Is there any news in regards to our duties being restored?" Aramis asked as he finally looked over at them again.

"Actually yes," d'Artagnan answered as he reached out to hand Aramis papers from the King; reinstatement papers. "These came for us this morning. The King requests our presence at noon today."

Athos continued, "Things will be better from here on out. Things can be better for you too, Aramis. Please, let us help you to carry your burdens as each of you have for me. I never would have survived this long if it weren't for you three. We can be the same for you, should you allow us to be."

Finally, Aramis looked between each of them and smiled, then placed his hat upon his head and said sincerely, "Thank you, for not giving up on me. It is an honor to call you my brothers."

The End


	23. Thank You

Thank you to all of those who have read and have written reviews for my stories! They are much appreciated. I'm honored to have you all for fans and I hope to hear from you all again in the future, should you choose to read and enjoy more of my work. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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